Friends have Faith
by heathergirl84
Summary: A pregnant slayer, a pregnant witch, and pregnant seer. Nothing about this is normal. Will Buffy and then figure out what's going on? OR will the world almost end....again? Crossover with Angel. please read and reveiw. Co-written with Sabra
1. The Start

Angel walks into the hotel clutching tightly to an infant. "Your not supposed to bring the demons home." Says Cordy, with a slight laugh.

"Ha ha, you're so funny, take him!" Angel says thrusting the baby towards her. "The demon monster whatever he was,"

"Anapostol" Wes chimes in.

Angel shoot him a glare, "Whatever it was, it killed his mother. Therefore, I couldn't leave a baby there by itself."

"So you brought it to us?" Cordy raises an eye brow.

"I'm sure you can find the father!" Angel says, "Just do your, ya know, investigating."

"I'm sure we can find the baby's father in no time, however telling him that we kidnapped his child and this it's mother is dead might not be the best move." Wes says looking deep in thought.

"We hold the kid ransom" Cordy lightly suggests.

"I'm sure that would go over so much better." Wes's voice drips with sarcasm.

"Well, I could see what I can hear on the street." Gunn says, "See if anybody's missing a baby."

"And I can find out if the baby's a demon!" Fred looks slightly delighted.

"I'm sure the baby isn't a demon Fred, but you could help them find the father." Angel says gently.

"I could do more research on the demon that took it's mother's life." Wes says.

Just then the doors to the hotel open, and in walks a redheaded young girl, about eighteen. She smiles brightly at them, "Gonna run up and change" she says, not seeming to notice the baby.

"She's been out with a boy." Cordy tells Angel with a slight smile.

"I don't like it." Angel says brooding a bit.

Just as the girl get half way up the stairs she turns back around, "Um, Cordy?" she says.

Cordy who's still holding the now motherless, kidnapped baby, "What Alex?"

"When did you have a baby?" Alex raises and eye brow.

"Before I came to work," Cordy rolls her eyes. "Angel kidnapped him."

"I didn't kidnap him, I saved him" Angel says looking rather annoyed.

Alex looks from one to the other, "So...what are planning on doing with him?"

"Well, we plan on finding it's father." Wes says.

"And hope that the demon hasn't killed it as well?" Alex nods as though understanding.

Everybody looks at each other, nobody had thought about that. Everything is quiet for a moment while the seem seems to digest Alex's latest stake in their plan. "The father's gotta be alive. I mean somebody's gotta take care of this kid right?" Cordy says.

"Yeah, somebody." Angel agrees adding upon Fred's look, "And it won't be us."

"Right, because having a baby in such danger is not a good thing." Fred says quietly.

"Right," Angel agrees.

"Well, let me know if he like sprouts horns or something," Alex smirks, "Otherwise, I'll be in my room."

"We need your help ounce you've showered." Cordy says.

"Oh I don't do babies!" Alex says running upstairs quickly with a rush of 'oh yes you do!' and 'you better come back down here young lady!' and her personal favorite, 'you'll be down here, or I'll stake you!' Alex loves her family, weird as it may be they are her family.

Not surprisingly it takes Alex nearly an hour to rejoin the group, by which time they've found the baby's father, and he's on his way. As luck would have it, he's actually quite versed in Demonolagy.

Sunnydale...

Buffy flops down on the couch, "I'm ready to crash." she says.

"But you kicked some serious ass tonight!" Willow smiles broadly at her.

"At least we don't have to worry about Warren anymore." Xander says.

Tara sets down next to Willow, "I'm just glad it over." she says quietly.

"Me too Baby," Willow says putting her arm around Tara.

"I say we celebrate," Dawn says.

"I'm to tired to celebrate." Buffy says.

"I saw we put in a movie." Xander says standing and striding over to the movies. "How about this one?" he holds up a particularly gruesome horror film.

"Oh I like that one!" Dawn jumps up and down.

"Isn't it enough that we see this stuff every day? We have to come home and watch is too?" Buffy says.

Dawn rolls her eyes, "I don't see if every day because somebody won't let me go patrolling with them."

"How many times to I have to tell you that you are two young?" Buffy says exasperatedly.

"I donno, until I'm old enough?" Dawn shrugs, "Put the movie in, I'll make popcorn."

"I'll put the movie in!" Xander calls after Dawn, "Extra Butter!"

"This isn't a movie theater Xander, you get microwave like the rest of us." Buffy says finally succumbing to the argument.

"So what movie did you pick?" Willow says raising her head from Tara's shoulder.

Xander busies himself with putting the movie not answering Willow, finally Buffy rolls her eyes, "Wrong Turn" she answers.

"You mean about the freaky looking mountain men that attack the people who get stuck in the woods? That's a good movie." Says Dawn coming back with popcorn.

Faith walks down the sidewalk. Sunnydale is disearted. She's holding a stake, on alert. There's a disturbance a little ways up from her, she quickens her step hoping for a vampire to dual. It's kids, just kids. With a sigh of disappointment she yells at them to get home. The kids stand up to her, and Faith advances, attitude written across her face. As she raises her hand, she falters. Her senses seem to tell her what she's about to do, "Get out here, now!" she yells, and the teens scatter for fear of her angry voice. Faith steps backwards a couple steps, startled by the fact that she could so readily raise her fist to another human, again. Flashes of her mother hand raised is outrage, for no apparent reason flashes before her eyes. It's the one thing she swore she would never do, raise her hand to a innocent child. And yet here tonight she had. She runs...she doesn't know where she's going or why she's going there she just runs. Before she realizes it, she's standing outside Buffy Summer's door.

Co-Written with Sabra (you rock girly!)


	2. Three Rapes

Alex found herself alone in the hotel. The baby's father had picked him up late the evening before, Cordy had another vision so the crew was off tracking it down. Angel had insisted Alex stay behind, saying he had a bad feeling about this whole ordeal. Alex new the truth, he was afraid she would get hurt. She chuckles softly at the thought. He had taken great care to train her in the last six months that she had been living with them, and still he would not allow her to fight. Though it was no matter to her, she would gladly stay behind and do the ever growing paperwork. Mostly because she could turn her music up as loud as she wanted, nobody told her to turn that crap down. It's her blaring music that gets her into trouble. As she sets bobbing her head, a man stands watching from the door. By looking at him, you can't tell that this man is more then a man, his appearance has been greatly altered. However his eyes glowed bright red. He was the thing that Angel and gang had previously been chasing. Here to collect his ransom. Alex seems to realize something is off, because her head stops bobbing. She turns slowly to see the demon standing there, "I'm afraid we aren't open," she says sensing danger but keeping her voice calm.

"I'm not here for a room child." Says the red eyed demon.

Alex moves closer to the cabinet with the weapons in it, "Angel isn't here."

"The easier to kill you." says the demon with a smirk. His face changes, veins know run everywhere.

"You won't kill me." Alex says reaching the weapons.

The demon advances, apparently unafraid of the young girl. Alex grabs a sward, ready to fight, but he demon simply grabs the edge. She sees the blood on his hands and he takes the sward, but as quickly as it was cut it is healed, "Got a new power since I battled your friend." he smirks again at her.

"Take a lot more then that to scare me!" Alex says although the feels herself tremble, she moves away from him, but he grabs her. She screams, he laughs. Alex pushes him away, and runs for the door, but he takes flight and lands in front of her knocking her to the floor. He throws the sward aside pulling Alex to her feet. He throws her across the room and she lands against the wall, slowly she gets to her feet as he advances on her, she kicks him, he stumbles back slightly. He puts his hands around her neck, she puts her hands around his, there's bodies are pressed against each other. Alex feels a small pin prick in her lower abdomen, before everything goes dark.

Angel races back to the hotel, his mind only on Alex. Cordy's vision runs through his mind, demon, Alex, attack... When finally they arrive at the hotel, Angel jumps from the car running into the hotel, Wes and Gunn on his heals. They find the demon that had killed the baby's mother standing over Alex who is laying slumped on the ground, "Hey weirdo! Pick on somebody your own size!" Cordy yells.

"I thought I killed you!" Angel yells.

"Well, well, I was hoping to finish her off before you showed up." the demon turns.

"Is it just me or does he get uglier every time we see him?" Gunn makes a disgusted face.

"I'll deal with you in a second," the demon says turning back to Alex.

"Hands off her!" Angel lunges throwing the demon across the room. "Get her upstairs!" he yells at Cordy and Fred.

The demon stands, "AWW, did I hurt little Vampy's friend?"

"You better not have." Angel says facing off with the demon.

"You can't kill me." He says simply. "I've fixed that little problem."

"Oh there are ways of killing you." Wes says holding a bow.

"No there aren't." The demon laughs.

Again Angel attacks, this time the demon knocks him to the floor. He's about to stake Angel, when suddenly he looks toward the steps. Alex is standing there muttering something. "You Bitch!"

"Don't call her a bitch, it's not nice!" Angel throws him again. Just before the demon hits the counter he disappears. "Where'd he go?" Angel looks around.

"Another domention if I said the spell right." Alex says being helped down stairs by Cordy and Fred.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Angel rushes to them.

"I'm okay," Alex says holding one arm over her ribs, "broke a couple ribs, got a couple bruises, nothing major."

"I'm so sorry, I should have been more careful." Angel says.

"We thought he was dead." Wes reminds him.

"I shouldn't have left her here." Angel says.

"You were keeping her out of danger," Wes says looking at Alex. "Perhaps we should take you to the hospital?"

"No, Cordy can bandage the ribs. I'm okay guys." Alex says looking at

them, "Really." she adds upon seeing their unsure faces.

"Lets get you cleaned up." Cordy says turning to lead her upstairs ounce more.

"Here" Angel says picking her up gently, "I'll take her."

Sunnydale...

Faith is left alone in Buffy's house. Buffy and the Scoobies are on patrol, Faith had been told to stay put. She wondered around the empty house, restless. She hears the front door open, and assumes it's Buffy and gang back. She starts toward the door but stops when she sees Spike standing there. "What the hell, I thought you had to be invited."

"Only ounce," Spike says, "Where the slayer?"

"Looking to be slayed, I can do it for ya." Faith smirks.

"No," growls Spike, "I'm looking for Buffy."

"Well she ant here, come back later, preferably when the sun is out." Faith says turning to head back into the living room.

Spike follows, "I thought you were in jail."

"I thought you were leaving." Faith says putting her hands on her hips. She watches him turn to leave and turns her back on him.

Spikes feels the rage inside him. It was not his own rage, and every part of him told him not to do this. The being inside him would have it no other way, it lunged at Faith pushing her onto the couch. A surprised scream escapes Faith, she knows he can't hurt her. But as he lands on top of her ripping her clothes from her body she sees his eyes glow bright red. This wasn't Spike, something was very wrong. She struggles against him, but whatever has taken over has twice the strength of Spike, add to that his strength and it's impossible to fight him. He's like a wild man, taking what he wants. He enters hard and rushed and full of rage. Faith feels the rage run through her as well. He's hurting her, she's screaming. Part of Spikes knows this is wrong, but the intanty that has taken him over doesn't seem to know that. Just as his deed is done, Buffy comes in to find them. She rushes over to them, pulling Spike off of Faith. Buffy looks at him, seeing his eye glow red, she throws him against the wall.

"Bloody hell!" He says, pulling himself up. He looks around, trying to steady himself. "What happened? How did I get here?"

Cordy made her way to her apartment. She was tired, having spent half the night with Alex, who was still sore. Angel wouldn't sleep for hours that's for sure. Cordy could tell he felt guilty, but really it was a risk they all took. Gunn, Fred and Wes all opted to say at the hotel, but Cordy opted to go home. Which is why she was walking down the street at well past one a.m. She saw the guy before she got to him, but she thought nothing of it. He approached her and her guard went up. When he grabbed her arm she flung him off and ran. Not knowing she was running down a dead end alley. "I'm warning you," she says backing into a wall, "I'm armed!"

The young man stopped only inches from her face, "Armed?" She can see the red flow to his eyes.

"Yeah!" Cordy kicks him in the privates and makes to run for it, but he pulls out a dark gun. Everything goes dark...

Cordy wakes to the sun almost being up, her pants around her ankles and her head swimming. Slowly she gets up pulling up her pants and stumbling to the street. Leaning against the wall, she calls Angel. What the hell happened to her?

Six weeks later...

Faith wakes for the third time this week sick. She rushes to the bathroom, making it just in time to lean over the toilet. After throwing up she sets back head leaned against the sink, _What the hell is wrong with me? I'm gonna kill Buffy if she gave me the flu._ She thinks finally pulling herself up off the cold floor. She flushes, brushes her teeth and heads downstairs to greet the rest of the gang. Buffy turns toward her and frowns, "You look like hell."

"Thanks love you too B." Faith says rolling her eyes. "I think you gave me the flu."

Tara, who is setting at the table with a bowl of cereal looks at Faith, "I could give you some herbal tea, that could help."

"Maybe later." Faith says closing her eyes as the smell of toast reaches her, quickly she turns and leaves before the smell had cause her to throw up again.

Tara frowns after her, but Willow puts her hands atop hers, "You okay?"

Tara turns her attention from Faith's departing figure, "I'm fine," she smiles at Willow.

Willow smiles, then turns her attention back to the gang, "So what's on the agenda today?"

Buffy sets down, "Nothing much, thought I might do a little shopping."

"Oh that sounds fun!" Willow smiles brightly.

"You should come, me and Dawn are having a girls day. Why don't you and Tara tag along?" Buffy asks.

Willow sets there for a moment, "What about Faith?"

Buffy sighs, "If she wants to come, I'm not going to argue."

"But if she's not feeling well." Tara says, "Perhaps she should go another time."

"That's true, and she isn't feeling good." Willow says.

"We should at least ask." Buffy says looking toward the place Faith had disappeared. "After all she is part of this team."

"That's true." Willow nods her head, "I'm proud of you Buffy."

Buffy laughs, "I am capable of compassion." Buffy gets up putting her know empty bowl in the sink, and heads upstairs. She knocks softly on Faith's door. "Can I come in?"

Faith sets up on the bed, "Yeah B, come on in."

"We're going for a girls day out, we wanted to know if perhaps you wanted to come?" Buffy sets down beside Faith.

Faith thinks it over to a second, but feels her stomach lurch threateningly, "Honestly, I don't think I'm up for it B." She says finally.

Buffy looks sympathetic, "Is there anything we can pick up while we're out?"

Faith smiles slightly, "A cure for the flu?"

Buffy laughs, "I'll get right on that one." Buffy leaves to allow Faith her peace. The girls all get ready to leave, but Tara says she forgot something she's got to do. Willow seems worried, but Tara smiles and tell she she's fine. Finally Tara and Faith are alone in the house.

"You guys have fun." Tara said waving at the group as they walked down the steps. Tara closed the door, turning to the stairs. She heard Faith in the bathroom again. Something was up and she knew it. Tara ascended the stairs and knocked on the bathroom door. "Faith are you ok?"

Faith groans, "Yeah fine." she says leaning against the sink, praying the locked the door. Faith finally stands up, rinses her mouth out and leaves the bathroom, to find Tara still standing outside it. "What?"

Tara looked into Faith's eyes. "You want me to fix that herbal tea now? It might make you feel better." Tara could feel that something was going on with Faith but she couldn't be sure. 'Maybe she'll open up over tea.' Tara thought.

Faith sighs, the last thing she wants is tea. Bur Tara looks so concerned and for some reason Faith gave in. "Sure Tara, I'll take that tea." After all, she would do about anything to rid herself of this horrible flu. Faith follows Tara into the kitchen and watches as she makes the tea. "I thought you were going shopping." she says finally.

"I decided to stay here, keep you company." Tara said as the teapot whistled. After pouring the water into the mugs, Tara sat a cup in front of Faith and sat down with her own. "This should help with the chills, also it helps build up your immune system." Tara said sipping her tea.

"Chills?" Faith says looking into the cup, realizing that's one symptom she doesn't have. She sips her own tea, "Thanks" she says. Faith's mind secretly goes back to the last time she was left alone in the house. She hadn't seem Spike sense, supposedly he was off getting a soul. After a few moments of silence Faith can't take it any longer, "So, thanks for staying. It kinda," she pauses, "creeps me out being here alone."

"I thought it might be hard on you...being alone." Tara replied being sensitive with the subject, "You know if you ever need to talk I'm here."

Faith sets there staring into her mug, "Funny how I should be the only one to get sick after Buffy." she says more to herself the to Tara. Surprisingly though the tea seems to do the trick, the nausea isn't nearly as bad.

"Faith...what if it's not the flu?" Tara asked looking at Faith. She hoped that the question wasn't too blunt but since Faith seemed confused about the chills the thought rolled through her mind. What if it wasn't sickness?

Faith looks confused, "Not the flu?" Faith frowns, "This isn't supernatural Tara. I'm pretty sure it's just the flu. I mean what else could it be?" Faith looks at Tara, trying to understand what she's saying. Tara looks away from Faith, who frowns. "Tara?" Faith says.

"You only seem to get sick in the morning and the sight of food during that time makes it worse." Tara said looking back at Faith.

Faith seems to set and think it over for a moment and then laughs, "There's no way I'm pregnant! I mean, the only person I've been with is Spike when he attacked me, and well Spike can't exactly have kids right? It would be crazy."

"I know it would be a little...unlikely...but maybe you should check just in case." Tara began, "That way we can know for sure."

Faith sets there for a moment. She thinks it over, "It couldn't hurt I don't guess." She says finally. Faith sighs, "Wanna take a talk?" she says finally. "We could pick up the test, I don't want Buffy and them knowing. They would have a field day."

"Ok, but you know if it's positive you'll have to tell them." Tara said, "But we'll take it one step at a time." Tara stood putting her mug in the sink. "You're not still feeling sick are you? I could always go get one after they come back."

Faith sighs, "I'm feeling better." She didn't want to admit that being cooped up in this house was getting to her. "I think I just want to get it over with." Faith get up and puts her cup in the sink, "Fresh air will do me good." She says as she and Tara make their way out of the house. She ignores the queasiness of her stomach.

Nearly an hour later Faith sets on the side of the bathtub looking down at the test in her hand. "Pregnant?" she says. "Stupid test." she mutters. She hears Tara knock on the door ounce more. "I'll be right out." She yells, not taking her eyes off the test in her hands.

"Can I come in?" Tara asked through the door already knowing the results of the test.

Faith doesn't answer right away, finally saying "Might as well." She doesn't look up when Tara comes in instead she simply shows her the test. Both are quiet for a moment, finally Faith speaks up, "How could this happen?"

"I don't know sweetie." Tara said looking at Faith, "Whatever you decide to do, I'm here for you. You're not alone."

Faith finally looks up blinking back sudden tears that she doesn't quiet understand, "Thank you." She says, "I think we need to do research, find out how this happened. Find out if this pregnancy is normal or...demonic or what..." Faith says quickly getting into slayer mode.

"So what do you want to tell the others?" Tara asked hearing the door downstairs fly open and the sounds of the others.

Faith also hearing the others sighs deeply, "I don't have any choice but to tell them the truth. I mean, I can't exactly hide this, and I have to know what's going on. I mean... I couldn't just abort without knowing for sure what it is I'm carrying. It just wouldn't be right, right?" Faith looks at Tara for answers as she hears somebody climbing the stairs.

Before Tara can answer there's a knock at the bathroom door. Buffy sees the crack in the bathroom door, she pushes it gently, "What's going on in here?" she asks her eyes falling to the little white stick Faith is still clutching. "Is that a pregnancy test?" she raises and eye brow.

Faith jumps up, "B! Ever heard on knocking?" Faith tries to hide the test.

"Ever heard of it being my house? Besides I knocked." Buffy rolls her eyes,

"Why are you hiding that pregnancy test, who's is it?" Buffy asks.

Faith sighs, "I'm only saying this ounce so lets go gather the gang." She looks toward Tara for help.

"We'll meet you downstairs." Tara said to Buffy. After Buffy gave a confused look she left the bathroom and Tara looked at Faith. "Are you ready to do this?"

"No," Faith answers honestly, "But she's already seen the test. I can't lie, and the faster we know what's going on the faster I know what I have to do right?" Faith says looking ounce more down at the test as if she expected it to change.

Faith stood and Tara gave her a hug. "We'll figure this out." Tara stepped out of the bathroom. "I'm sure they're all waiting for us."

Ounce all the girls are gathered, Willow calls Xander. Faith paces the length of the room, all eyes on her, until finally he arrives. "Took you long enough." she sends him a glare. He looks at the confused faces know turning to Faith, and turns his own to her. Faith stops her pacing facing the group before her. "I'm pregnant." she says. A gasp goes up among the group.

"You're what?" Buffy asks.

"Oh a baby!" Dawn says excitedly.

Willow looks bewildered, "I didn't know you were seeing anybody."

Xander simply stares as if she's grown an extra head.

Faith hushes them, "Please! Let me finish!" She waits until all of them have stopped talking, taking a deep breath to settle her nauseous stomach she continues, "I'm not dating anyone, I haven't been with anyone since Spike attacked me."

"You're trying to tell us Spike knocked you up?" Buffy raises an eye brow.

"He's a vampire," Xander says as if reminding her.

"I know he's a vampire, I also know he's the only one who could have done this!" Faith says fighting to keep her control. "Listen, we need to find out what the hell is growing inside me, and if it's human or what."

"You're serious." Buffy says, her look of amusement fading.

"You think you could carrying a demon?" Willow asks.

"I don't know!" Faith says, "All I know is that I'm pregnant, and Spike is the

only one I've had sex with."

"I'm going to kill him!" Xander says standing up as if to confirm his point.

"You'll have to find him first." Says Willow.

Tara speaks up, "I think we need to worry about Faith right know, and whatever it is she's carrying."

"I'll start looking at books." Willow says.

"I'll help you." Tara says getting up to follow Willow.

"I'll call Giles." Buffy says.

"I'll..." Xander frowns, "Help Willow and Tara." He says finally.

Faith looks at Dawn, "You should do your homework." She says.

"You sound like Buffy." Dawn says.

"Watch it," Faith say play warningly to Dawn.

Dawn sighs and heads off, leaving Faith alone for the first time since finding out she's pregnant. Her mind runs a million miles a minute, but always seems to settle on one thing, _I'm going to have a baby..._

Four days later, Anya, Willow, Tara, Buffy, Xander, and Faith are all still pouring over books. None of them seem to know what is going on. No prophecy has said anything about a vampire having a kid, none has said a slayer would give birth to a vampires child, nothing. Giles had been little help, and as he couldn't get away from the council at the moment he couldn't come back to Sunnydale. Buffy sighs deeply closing her books, "I think I know what we have to do." She says.

"What? Kill me?" Faith says with a half smile.

"No, we have to go to Angel. With Spike not around he's the only one who can tell us what's going on. If anybody knows, it's Angel." Buffy says.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Willow asks quietly.

"No, but we have to know what Faith is carrying. We need to be prepared for whatever happens." Buffy sighs.

"I could go alone." Faith says.

"No!" Xander says, "Pregnant girls goes to LA alone, I don't think so."

"I can handle myself!" Faith says annoyed at the suggestion she couldn't.

"I don't want you fighting." Buffy says, "We're all going."

"We'll be ready to leave early in the morning." Willow says.

"I agree, we should all go." Tara says.

Faith sighs, "I just want to know what's going on."

Early the next morning Buffy, Faith and the Scoobies pack up and head for LA, hoping Angel will be able to answer their questions.


	3. A New, Case With Some Old Friends

Alex made her way downstairs to find the lobby full of people, "Morning, case already?" she says looking around at all the faces.

"Something like that," says Cordy.

"Well, I'll need coffee then," she says heading toward the pot.

"You'll need more then coffee." Cordy says taking a sip of her own coffee.

Alex turns to face the newcomers, "So, what seems to be the problem?"

"I'm pregnant." Says a black headed girl, about Cordy's age. She was tall, and thin and in excellent shape.

Alex laughs a little, her eye brow raised, "I'm afraid we don't find one night stands."

Cordy chokes on her coffee, "Alex!"

But Faith is laughing, "I like her!"

"We're not here because she needs to find a one night stand, we're here cause a Vampire knocked her up." Willow says.

Alex cocks her head sideways and looks at Angel, "Got anything to tell us there Vampy?"

Angel looks horrified, "What? No, I mean no!"

"Relax," Alex laughs, "Had to get ya going didn't I?"

"You're grounded" Angel says shooting her a nasty look.

Alex rolls her eyes, "So anyways, you gonna tell me who you are, or do I get to guess?"

Buffy steps forward, "I'm Buffy, this is Willow, Tara, Xander, Dawn, Anya and Faith." Buffy points to each in turn, but Alex's eyes doesn't leave Buffy.

"Buffy? As in Slayer, ex girlfriend, make him go all super evil Vampire Buffy?" Alex says.

"You told her?" Angel looks at Cordy.

"She had a right to know." Cordy shrugs.

"Don't tell her shit like that." Angel says.

Buffy looks at Cordy, "How much did you tell her?"

Cordy seem to think it over, "All of it."

"Who is she?" Xander asks.

"Alex," Alex says, "I'm a part of the team I guess you would say."

"Of course you're part of the team," Fred says, putting a hand on Alex's shoulder.

Alex turns and smiles at her, "Thanks Fred." she turns back to the group, "So, you say you're with a Vampy Junior huh?"

"We need to know what she is carrying." Wes says, "Because technically speaking, Vampire's can't sir children."

"I don't think technically matters," Willow says.

"Well, how about we get everybody settled?" Angel says, "Alex why don't you show them to their rooms?"

"Why so you can talk behind me back?" Alex says setting her coffee down, "Sure, I'll get it outta Cordy or Fred one later anyways."

Buffy laughs, "Sounds like she's a handful."

"Or two." Angel says under his breath.

Alex leads Buffy and the Scoobies upstairs, "So what's the sleeping arrangements?"

"Dawn and me, Willow and Tara, Faith and Anya, and Xander I guess." Buffy says.

"How about Faith with me?" Alexis says, "I got an apartment, I'll take the couch, and you'll have more privacy."

"I'll be fine with Anya," Faith says, "No need to feel sorry for me."

"Oh I don't," Alex says with a smile, "I'm just thinking how much trouble we could cause together."

Faith laughs, "Trouble huh?"

"Oh yeah!" Alex says smiling, "Besides, I'm sure Angel will want eyes on you, and you don't want Gunn posted outside your door do you?"

"Not really," Faith says, "I'll take you up on that."

So everybody is ushered into rooms, and Faith and Alex make it back to her apartment. "Make yourself at home, just uh, don't tell Angel if find anything you shouldn't."

"How old are you?" Faith says looking at a bottle of alcohol.

"If you asking because of that, I'm 21. If you're asking because you're curious, then I'm 18." Alex grins at her before flopping down on the couch, "Make yourself at home."

"Thanks," Faith says. She sets down in a chair watching Alex flip through the channels on the TV, "Hope they figure this out soon." she says more to herself then Alex as her stomach give a huge roll.

"They'll have it figured out in no time." Alex says, "Been to a doctor?"

Faith frowns, "No, I'm not sure what I'm carrying, can't just go into a doctors office."

Alex frowns and turns to look at her, "You should go to a doctor though, and ultrasound could tell us more about whatever it is." Faith honestly hadn't thought about this, but again if she was carrying something not so human, she didn't want a doctor knowing. Alex seems to follow this train of thought, "I got a friend who's a doctor. She was actually a friend of my mom's, she's used to all kinds of weird things. Maybe we should give her a call."

"She wouldn't be surprised?" Faith asks.

"Nope, she's actually delivered demon babies." Alex says reaching for the phone, she dials the a number. "Deanna, it's Alex." she says. Faith watches as the listens into the phone, "Yes, I'm fine. And you are okay?" Alex nods, "Mmhmm, well I hope that goes okay." again she listens, "Yes yes, I know I haven't visited." pause, "No, I'm living with some friends." Pause, Alex rolls her eyes, "Yes, I know I'm welcome there. Listen I need to ask a favor." Pause, and Alex smiles, "Well, it's a bit more complex then that. I've got a friend who's pregnant." pause, "Yes, that's right, pregnant." pause, "No, this isn't a normal pregnancy, the father is a Vampire." Pause in which Alex takes the phone from her ear, Faith can hear the woman yell 'Vampire!' "Yes, Vampire. You can see know why this is such a baffling case. No no, no need for that, I've got friends working on the case. However if would be a great relief if you could take a look at her." Pause, "Yes, well I know you are the best." Alex smiles, "I'll have her there this afternoon." another pause, "Yes I'll bring protection with us. Thank you." Alex hangs up the phone smiling at Faith. "She'll see you later on today."

"Why would you need to bring protection?" Faith asks raising an eye brow.

"Oh she always says that, it's not in the best of neighborhoods." Alex answer simply. Faith can sense something more to it, but she drops it.

Faith waits in the living room of Alex's small apartment, as Alex gets ready for the doctors. Her nerves are on edge, and it's causing the nausea to get worse. Faith paces the length of the small room, stopping mid pace to check that Alex's door has not yet opened. They decided not to tell the other's where they were going, just that they were going. Alex's door finally opens and she shoots Faith a smile, "Nervous much?" she says.

"No," Faith says, "I just don't want to be late, and you take forever to get ready."

Alex chuckles, "I don't take forever."

Faith shoot her a look that could make a grown man crumble, but Alex isn't phased by it, "Lets just go."

Alex grabs her purse and leads the way out, locking the door behind her, "You'll love this doctor, she's amazing."

"I hate doctors, I hate hospital, I hate the whole group." Faith says annoyed by her chipperness.

"You just hate the world there don't ya?" Alex looks sideways at Faith, realizing she must be scared shitless, and not feeling good. They walk in quiet for a moment, each deep in their own thoughts. Finally Alex says, "So what's the deal?"

"What's what deal?" Faith asks.

"Well, you know a lot about the supernatural world, you obviously fight it. What's the deal?" Alex says.

"I'm a slayer." Faith says.

"But I thought Buffy was the slayer?" Alex frowns.

"She died for like two minutes and another was brought in, when she died I was called." Faith says.

"So you replaced the slayer, then the slayer showed up." Alex nods.

"Could we not get into my history?" Faith says fighting to keep sudden anger out of her voice.

"No skin off my back," Alex says as they reach the lobby, "We're headed out, we'll be back." she says.

"Out?" Angel asks, "You and Faith?"

"No me and the invisible monster cause he's so much more fun the Faith," Alex rolls her eyes.

"Where are you going? Are you sure Faith should be leaving?" Buffy asks standing beside Angel.

Alex groans, "We're going out to get drunk and sleep with the first guy we see. Maybe I'll get knocked up too."

Faith laughs, "You're good with the come backs kid."

Alex grins as though it's the best complement she's ever received, "Know if you'll excuse us, both of you, we'll be going."

"Be back before dark." Angel says.

"You're just going to let them go?" Buffy turns to him.

"Well, Faith is an adult, and Alex is, well Alex is Alex. And it's not like I can chase them." Angel crosses his arms looking down at Buffy.

Buffy frowns, "You can't but I can."

Alex stops at the door and turns dead serious, "Don't follow us. I'm serious Angel don't let her follow us. You trained me, you know I can handle myself. And if slayer girl here," she nods toward Faith, "can't hold her own then this world is a pretty sad place."

Buffy looks mad, "What if she's being possessed?"

"Yeah, by hormones." Alex laughs slightly, "If she turns all evil, I'll kick her ass then bring her back so you can kick it, okay?"

Buffy huffs and turns back to Angel, "I don't like this."

"Me either, but you won't follow them, nobody will follow them okay?" He turns to make sure everybody has heard, "You have our word Alex, but if you aren't back by sundown, I'm coming after you both myself."

Alex nods and leads Faith out of the hotel. They walk in silence for a while, till finally Faith speaks up, "So how'd you come to be with Angel and them?"

Alex sighs, "Well, a year ago both my parents were murdered by a demon. My mom was a witch, which is where I learned most of what I know. I came home to a house in shambles. Basically I could stay there and be put in foster care where, I would never be understood or I could run. I ran. Ended up on the streets, that's where Gunn found me. I tried to kill him." Alex laughs a little, "But after about six months of him keeping on and on, I came to see Angel. Angel took me under his wing, and taught me everything I know about fighting."

"Oh" Faith says, not really knowing what to say. "So you fight with them?"

"When Angel lets me, or I sneak out for a hunt of my own." Alex looks sideways at Faith, "Don't feel sorry for me."

Faith raises an eye brow, "I don't feel sorry for anybody."

Alex laughs a little, "Good to know." Again they walk in quiet, Faith feels her nerves tingle as they get closer to the doctors. Alex looks over at her before they turn a corner, "Get ready Faith, this could be tricky."

"Tricky?" Faith says preparing herself for a fight.

Alex pulls a knife from her bag, "Let me take lead, they know me around here." She says.

Faith, who's stomach is lurching threateningly, nods her head in agreement. She sees two big guys standing outside a door. As the approach one of the guys looks toward them, "You're not welcome here!" He yells.

Alex laughs, "I'm welcomed were I'll go! Move aside! I've business with the doctor."

"Will you curse me witch?" laughs the second guy.

"I'll not curse you still you stand in my way!" Alex says stops a few feet from the men. "Behind me," she says quietly to Faith. Faith hesitates, she's not used to being second.

"I smell slayer," Says the first guy, "her kind isn't welcome here."

"She's with me, she's welcome!" Alex says, "Step aside!"

The first guy starts toward Alex, but she throws the knife hitting him in the chest. As he goes down his friend bows them into the door they had been guarding. The office inside is empty, the room is dark and gloomy. Faith shivers slightly. "Deanna!" Alex calls.

A woman, old enough to be either of their mother appears through the opposite door at ounce. "Why Alex!" she says hugging the young girl.

Alex pulls away, "This is Faith." she says turning to give Faith a smile.

Deanna turns to Faith, "You're young." she says simply, "Come on lets have a look at you." she ushers her into an exam room, which is quite nice compared to the room outside.

"I'll wait outside the door." Alex says.

Faith looks around, "You could wait in here." she says.

Sensing that perhaps Faith doesn't want to be left alone, she stays within the room, taking a quiet chair in the corner. Deanna smiles at Faith who looks rather nauseas at the moment. "How are you feeling?"

"Like shit." Faith says simply.

"Ahh yes, morning sickness." Deanna pauses, "Alex tells me you are with a Vampire's child. I've never seen a case of this nature."

"I'm sure you haven't." Faith mutters. "Listen I just need to know if this thing inside me is human or what."

"Oh, I assure you I will find out." Deanna says smiling.

Alex speaks up, "And you'll not tell anybody either, or I'll bind your tongue."

"Oh of course not," Deanna assure her. "But I would like to get a look, if I could."

Faith raises an eye brow, "How exactly?"

Deanna laughs a little, "Ultrasound my dear, ultrasound." Faith lays back on the table. "This will be cold," Deanna says squirting jell onto her stomach. Alex gets up to join them, standing beside Faith. Slowly a tiny heartbeat fills the room.

"Well, one things for sure, it's alive." Alex says smiling down at Faith who looks slightly taken aback.

"Yeah," Faith says. She hadn't expected there to be a heart. To be honest she's not sure she what she expected, but this takes her by surprise. Blinking back tears furiously she turns her head to face the screen. A tiny being is on it.

"Well, I can't tell you it's human, it's too small. But I can tell you it's growing, and it's heart beat suggests that it's human." Deanna says.

Alex looks down to see tears in Faith's eyes, she turns away knowing Faith would not want her to know. Deanna turns the machine off, and wipes Faith's stomach. Faith wipes her eyes, and sets up. "So that's it? All you can tell me is that it has a heartbeat?"

"I'm afraid so Faith." Deanna says, "But at least we know it is alive."

"A lot of help that is." Faith says with a sigh.

"Ready?" Alex asks turning back to face Faith a little to fast and getting dizzy. She grabs the table beside her, as the room spins.

Faith looks slightly worried, but Deanna raises an eye brow. "How have you been feeling, Alex?" she asks.

"I'm fine," Alex says pushing her own queasy stomach aside, as she had the last two days.

Deanna looks her over, "You aren't fine Alex, I can sense it."

Alex waves her hand, "It's not important, right know what is important is that Faith and whatever is growing inside her is okay."

"They are," Deanna assures her, "Why don't you take a seat Faith, I want to examine Alex?"

"I don't need examining," Alex shoots her a glare.

"You're mother would have a fit if I let you walk out of here sick" Deanna says, "Know come on!"

Alex sighs and sets down on the table, "You had to play the mother card huh?"

Deanna looking pleased with herself simply smiles. She feels around Alex's glands, "Lay back," she says. Alex does as she asks, huffing a little. Deanna feels her stomach and frowns. "Is there anything I should know?"

"Like what? The fact that you pushing on may stomach make me want to hurl?" Alex rolls her eyes.

Deanna frowns deeper, "I want to do an ultrasound." And with that she's squirting jell on Alex's stomach as well. Alex objects but they are not heard, another fast heartbeat fills the room.

Faith gasps, Alex passes out before she can see the tiny being on the monitor, that is growing within her own stomach.

Half an hour later Faith and Alex are walking back toward the hotel. Alex hasn't said anything since leaving the doctors. Faith notices her hand on her stomach, and says gently as she can muster, "You okay?"

Alex seems to have been a million miles away, "Huh?" she looks over at Faith as though she had forgotten she was there.

"Are you okay?" Faith asks, looking the redhead over.

"I'm fine," Alex shakes her head as though to clear it. "Tell anybody and I'll make your life a living hell."

Faith laughs, "That the best threat you got kid?"

"I could kill you, but then what fun would that be?" Alex says smiling slightly.

"Good point." Faith smiles. "So who's the daddy to be?"

Alex thinks for a second, "I don't know." She stops for a moment, "This is between us right?"

"Right," Faith says watching her.

"Well, it's been months since I was with anybody. I was attacked about seven weeks ago by a demon, but he didn't like rape me." Alex says thinking, "The only real thing left from the attack is a tiny pin prick." she lifts her shirt just enough to show Faith a small mark.

"Forget what I'm carrying, we need to worry about what you are carrying." Faith says.

Both girls start out ounce more for the hotel, both quiet. Ounce there, they find the whole group in the lobby. All eyes turn to them as the enter, "We were about to come looking for you." Angel says.

"I'm back by sundown" Alex says.

"Find anything out?" Faith asks.

"Nope." Willow says, "And we are exhausted."

"Why don't we all sleep on this tonight? Tomorrow is a new day." Angel says.

Alex slumps down next to Tara, "I agree, we'll find something tomorrow."

Tara looks at the redhead, "Everything okay?" she asks.

Alex nods, "Everything is fine Tara." She had already figured out that Tara was more gentle then the rest. She couldn't be as feisty with her come backs with Tara.

Slowly they all trickle upstairs to bed. Angel and Alex being the last ones to go to bed. Angel seems to sense something isn't quite right with Alex tonight, "Alex," he says as she turns for the stairs.

Alex turns back, "Yeah Angel?"

"Is everything okay?" He asks.

Alex hesitates for just a millisecond, "Everything will be fine Angel," she ways.

"That's not what I asked." Angel says stepping forward.

Alex looks at him, "Not know Angel, please."

Angel nods, "I'm right here if you need me."

"I know you are Angel, you're the one solid thing." Alex smiles at him and heads for the stairs ounce more.

The next morning everybody sets arguing over Faith and her predicament. "Well if it's demonic then we have no choice but to kill it right?" Says Cordy.

"But we don't know that it's demonic." Angel says.

"There's gotta be a way to tell." Buffy says.

"Maybe some kind of test," Willow says.

"What like testing her strength, or what?" Angel asks.

Alex who's doodling in her notebook looks up to see Faith standing at the stairs. She sighs deeply, "Guys, I think we're forgetting somebody." She says.

"Who?" Asks Tara.

"Faith." Alex says simply. Everybody looks confused, "Look Faith is human. She's pregnant, with God only knows what, she's wondering how the hell she got that way, and she's scared." Alex looks at each face in turn. "Come on, we see evil every day, we deal with demons that mangle and destroy humans. Faith is not one of those creators. She's human, and we're all looking at as if she's the ugliest this we've faced thus far. Whatever she's carrying is at least half human. And who says it's evil? Nobody, we don't know. Come on!" She looks at Angel, "You've lived a long time, you've seen a lot of things. Not all of those were good, but have you ever seen anything to confirm that this is a demon spon? And if it is, we'll deal with it. But right know there's a young girl, a friend of yours, who feels alienated, which scares her, who's pregnant with 'something'" she uses air quotes, "and she's gotta be scared. Slayer or not, she's still human. And I can't believe you of all people," her attention turns back to Angel, "are looking at her as though she's a monster." Alex gets up leaving them all to look slightly guiltily after her.


	4. Three Lights

Three days pass quickly, and Alex's queasiness, turns into morning sickness rather quickly. Between her and Faith, who's still in her apartment, mornings are hell. Faith is setting on the couch when Alex appears in the bedroom doorway, having been in the bathroom ten minutes throwing up. "You look like hell." Faith says looking at her.

Alex glares, "And you just looks so peachy yourself there."

"Well at least I've told them," Faith says getting up and coming into the kitchen where Alex is setting.

"I can't!" Alex says looking up at Faith.

Faith sets down across from her, "Tell me again about this demon." she says.

"I told you! He was just some demon. He killed the baby's family, and then he came here and attacked me." Alex sighs, "Before everything went black I felt a prick in my stomach."

Faith frowns, "That could have been when he got you pregnant, presuming you are telling the truth and there's been nobody else."

"I didn't call you a lier when you showed up saying you were pregnant with a vampire's child did I?" Alex asks.

"No, you didn't." Faith says quietly.

"Then why can't you believe me when I say that I haven't been sleeping around with random guys?!" Alex raises her voice.

"I do believe you," Faith says as there's a knock at the door. "It's unlocked!" she yells.

Fred pushes the door open, "I heard yelling." she says quietly.

"It's nothing Fred." Alex says sighing.

"Yelling isn't nothing," Fred says, "You don't usually yell."

Alex bites a remark back, knowing Fred is only attempting to help, "We weren't yelling we were discussing rather loudly."

"Which is yelling." Fred says.

Alex laughs, "Okay we were yelling. I was yelling, but I'm fine."

"Angel said to get him if you were yelling." Fred says.

"Did he know?" Alex raises an eye brow.

"He doesn't like you and Faith being cooped up here together all day." Fred moves farther into the room. "You've been up here the last two days. We could use your help."

Alex looks at Faith, "We'll be down in a little while." Alex says.

"You gonna tell them?" Faith asks.

"Nope," Alex says getting to her feet.

"Tell us what?" Fred asks, as she Faith and Alex leave the apartment.

"Nothing." Alex says as they enter the lobby, "Okay I'm here, what am I supposed to be doing?"

Angel looks up, "Well, you could help with research, or you could help Willow. They want to do a spell to find out what's inside Faith."

Alex turns to Willow and Tara who are setting up in the middle of the room, "I'll help them," she walks over, "So what kinda spell are we doing?"

"We are going to be looking for human babies, fetus's I guess you would say." Willow says. "Anyways, if whatever is inside Faith is human, this should pick it up."

Alex thinks for a second, "Sound interesting, how's it work?"

Tara and Willow spend the next twenty minutes explaining all about the spell, "I wrote it myself," Willow proudly announce ounce she's done.

Alex gives her a big smile, "It sounds very good!"

"We're ready!" Willow calls to everybody. Buffy, Tara, Anya, Xander, Gunn, Wes, Fred, Cordy, Angel and Alex all make a circle around Willow and Faith. "This won't hurt at all Faith." Willow says. Willow says a short spell, causing a burst of light to move from her hands. Slowly it makes it's way toward Faith, but before making it all the way it splits. Three balls of bright blue light fly through the air, one landing on Faith's stomach, one landing on Alex's stomach, and the last one landing on Cordy's stomach. Willow looks around "Uh oh."

"Tell me that spell went horribly wrong." Cordy says.

"No, spell went fine." Willow says looking at Cordy's stomach. "Are you???"

"Pregnant?" Angel finishes, he looks from Cordy to Alex, "Anything I should know?"

Alex sighs and stands up, "I am pregnant." she says.

"Who may I ask have you been sneaking around with?" Wes asks standing to look at Alex.

"Nobody," Alex answers, "That's what's so weird, since before the attack there's been nobody."

"The demon attack?" Angel asks.

"Yes," Alex answers.

"We need to find out if he could have done this. The spell would only cover half humans." Wes says.

"And Cordy?" Gunn looks at her, "Who you been banging?"

"Nobody!" Cordy says still looking down toward her stomach, "Just the rape."

"Rape?" Alex asks worriedly.

"Yeah the same night you were attacked." Cordy looks up at her.

"This can't be some sort of coincidence." Gunn says.

For a moments there's quiet in the room, finally Alex looks toward Faith who's still seated in the middle of the floor facing Willow, "Well, there's one thing about it, it's got a heartbeat and it's at least half human. Heartbeat could man soul."

"How do you know it has a heartbeat?" Wes, who had found a book to pour over in record time, asks.

"Because I've heard it." Alex shrugs.

Faith gets to her feet, "Well, I guess that's it. I mean, that's all we'll now for know. And however it's happened it's happened, no turning back know."

Willow stands as well, "Looks like Sunnydale is going to have a new resident."

"Well, I say we all head home." Buffy stands as well.

"Yeah, let them deal with preggers one and preggers two," Xander nods toward Alex and Cordy, "cause no offense, but there's no way in hell I'm staying here with all three of you pregnant."

"Faith can come with us, we'll protect her and whatever she's carrying." Faith scowls at her, "I know you can protect yourself, but I don't want you demon hunting until you've given birth." Buffy says.

"She's right." Angel says.

"Oh, I won't go demon hunting, but I might just strangle you if you call it a whatever again. It's a baby, a human baby." Faith says and with that she walks away leaving the others to stare after her.

"She's right," Tara stands up, "It isn't a whatever anymore, it's a baby."

Willow nods, "At least half a human baby."

"So, we call it, it and that sounds better?" Xander raises an eye brow.

"I would say don't mess with a pregnant slayer." Angel says.

Alex looks around, "I say lets treat HER like she's human?" Alex pulls Cordy up and together they head upstairs.

"I say we're all in for a long couple months." Angel says.

"To late to turn back?" Wes watches as Cordy and Alex disappear upstairs.

"Oh we're way past back turning back." Angel says.

"Can you just send me to hell know?" Gunn asks, looking at Angel.

"Two babies!" Fred smiles happily, "We're gonna have two babies! Oh there's so much to do!"

"You do realize at least one of those babies could be half demon, right?" Gunn asks.

Fred frowns, "Yes, but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate does it?"

"You celebrate, I'll try and find out what's going on." Wes says.

Buffy looks around at her gang, "I think we should leave today, ya know Hellmouth to protect, Faith to, well protect, God that's odd to say, anyways."

"I agree we should leave today, unless Angel needs our help?" Willow looks at Angel.

"We'll be fine," Angel says smiling slightly at her, "I mean we deal with demons everyday, a couple pregnant friends shouldn't be that bad right?"

Buffy laughs, "I would rather face a demon then a pregnant Faith or Cordy."

"And keeping them here together for to long could, well it could be bad." Xander says.

"I agree, for all of our safety we should be heading home" Willow says.

Anya, who seems to be paying little attention, "So, we're going home, big deal. Demons have babies everyday."

"Which keeps us in a job." Angel says.

Upstairs, Faith, Alex and Cordy set on Alex's couch. "That was interesting," Cordy says.

"That was hell." Faith says.

"No, hell is what we go through every morning. That was just really uncomfortable." Cordy says.

Alex looks sideways at her, "You new and didn't tell anybody?"

"No, I figured, but I wasn't sure. And with Faith pregnant with a Vampire's offspring, I just figured I would let everything cool down." Cordy says, then looks at Alex, "You new?"

Alex shrugs, "Maybe."

"You new and didn't tell us?" Cordy sounds angry, "How could you not tell us? You could have been carrying anything," she stands, "And you went patrolling last night!"

"Hey!" Faith stands, "Don't yell at her!"

"Don't tell me who to and not to yell at!" Cordy says.

Faith advances, but Cordy doesn't back down, "You won't miss treat her!"

"What ya gonna do preggers? Slay me?" Cordy laughs harshly.

Alex stands up, "GUYS!" Both turn to look at her slightly shocked, "Listen, we can't be fighting. We're on all edge, lets just relax."

Cordy crosses her arm tapping her foot, Faith puts her hands on her hips. Alex looks between them sighing. Buffy appears in the doorway, "Faith as soon as Willow finishes the protective spells she's doing for Angel, we'll leave."

Faith looks at Buffy, "I'll be ready B."

Cordy looks at Buffy as well, "You ant wasting anytime getting out of here."

"Nope, Hellmouth to protect." Buffy says and turns to leave.

Cordy turns back to Alex, "We'll talk later." she turns and leaves as well.

"You okay kid?" Faith asks.

"No, they're all gonna hate me!" Alex says rubbing her stomach.

"They won't hate you," Faith says, "They'll yell, they'll be upset, but soon it'll blow over."

Alex looks at Faith, "So guess you'll be headed back?"

"I gotta go Alex, they need me, and you're in good hands here. I'm only a phone call away." Faith says.

"And you'll be okay? I mean no hunting, no fighting, you'll take care of yourself?" Alex asks.

Faith smiles, "Really know how to restrict a girl huh?"

Alex laughs, "I try."

"No hunting, not fighting demons, I'll take care of myself, and I've got a group of people to make sure of that." Faith says, she steps forward hugging Alex. "You'll be okay."

Alex hugs Faith, nodding against her shoulder, then pulls back, "Better get ready to leave."

"Yeah," Faith nods and heads toward the bedroom to repack her bags.

Two hours later everybody is gathered in the lobby, Buffy and the Scoobies have put their bags into the car. Everybody is hugging, Alex who isn't exactly sure where she fits in the group stands slightly off to the side. Willow approaches rather cautiously, "You'll be okay." she says gently.

Alex smiles at her, "Thanks Willow, we should get together and talk about spells sometimes, I think I could learn a lot from you and Tara."

Tara comes up beside Willow, "I think you know more then you realize." She says.

Alex laughs, "Well, if only magic could tell me what to do know huh?"

"You'll figure it out," Willow says, "You got Angel and them, you'll be fine."

Tara steps forward, hugging Alex gently, "I think you'll be better then fine, you'll be great." she says pulling back.

Alex closes her eyes smiling, "If Faith needs anything call." she says as Willow steps forward and hugs her as well.

"We'll handle Faith, take care of Angel and them." Willow says turning and leaving her arm around Tara.

Buffy comes up to Alex, "Guess I should be thanking you."

"For what?" Alex asks looking at the petite blond.

"For taking care of Faith. We all kinda forgot about her, we were so worried about what's she's carrying." Buffy looks around, as if nervous.

"She'll be okay." Alex says her eyes watching Faith.

"You're strong kid, you got the heart, and the skill if Angel taught you. But heart and skill ant all of it, you gotta have the will. This isn't an easy life, but it's one worth having." Buffy says and Alex looks at Buffy ounce more. "You can make it, if you just hang in there."

Alex nods, "You too."

Buffy nods as though she understands everything Alex has just said, although Alex was sure the others would not have understood it. Buffy turns to leave and Alex joins Angel and the gang to see them off. At the door Faith stops, and sets her bag down, she turns to Alex making her way back toward her, "I'll kick you ass if you don't call kid." She says hugging her, into her ear she says, "No fear."

"No fear," Alex repeats into Faith's ear.

Angel waits until Buffy and them are well on their way before taking Alex into his office. He paces up and down in front of the door while she leans against the desk watching. He stops mid step, "You've had sex?" he says.

Alex laughs, "I'm eighteen not five."

"But you said there was not way it was from that though right?" Angel seems to be having a hard time understanding this.

Alex sighs, "What I'm saying is that unless I'm six months along, when I'm not, then there's no way this baby can be from a human."

"So what? The demon raped you and you didn't see fit to tell me?" Angel asks in that annoyingly sarcastic tone he gets, throwing his hands into the air, letting them land on his hips and looking her dead in the face.

"I didn't know I had been raped! I mean I wasn't raped." she shakes her head fighting back tears and turns her back to Angel, "I mean I didn't realize what had happened." She fights to keep the tears out of her voice.

Angel's face falls suddenly as he realizes she's crying, "The speech the other day," he says quietly moving to stand behind her, "The one about Faith, and her being scared. I should've seen it, it wasn't about Faith at all. It was about you. You're the one that's scared." He touches her shoulder gently and she drops her head. "Alex," Angel turns her to face him, lifting her head gently, he's reminded that she's barely more then a child, "Everything will be fine. Come on, don't cry."

Alex wraps her arms around his waste, "I'm sorry Angel." He instinctively wraps his arms around her in an effort to comfort her.

Cordy opens the door gently, causing Angel to look in her direction. "Sorry" Cordy whispers, "I just wanted to see how she's doing." She appraohes.

"She's scared." Angel says.

"She could join the club." Cordy says taking a deep breath and moving Alex's hair out of her face, "Sweetie, Gunn and Wes and Fred are worried, what should I tell them?"

Alex doesn't lift her head, "I'll be right out."

Cordy wipes tears from Alex's eyes, "This will work it's self out."

Alex pulls back from Angel, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath forcing herself to smile slightly, "Of course it will, I got the best in the business on it."

"That's my girl," Angel says putting a arm around her as they walk out of the room, to the lobby where the others wait.

Wes turns his head toward the door, Fred looks up from her book, and Gunn stands as they enter the lobby, "Well?" Wes demands.

"She's not sure how it happened." Angel says as Alex takes a seat at the desk.

"I just remember everything going dark after feel a pin prick in my stomach." Alex looks at Wes, "I swear that's all I remember."

Gunn looks at Wes, "We believe you Alex." He looks back at Alex, "We just need to figure this thing out."

Fred pours a cup of tea, "Personally," she says putting the tea down in front of Alex, "I think our main concern is for Alex. Making sure whatever is inside her isn't hurting her."

Alex looks down at the tea for a second, "Thanks." she says before picking it up, "It has a heartbeat." she says softly.

Angel looks at her, "You heard it?"

Alex nods, "I thought Faith should see a doctor, so we went to a friend of my Mom's, the one I took Lorne to see." She says, "She was just so sure some undead thing was growing inside her, something evil, and I had to prove to her that it's not. Anyways, they done a ultrasound of Faith, she can't tell if it's human but it for sure has a heartbeat. I hadn't been feeling great, but I dismissed it like I always have. Well the doctor seemed to sense something wasn't right, and the last think I remember before lights out again is, a heartbeat filling the room."

"She knocked you out?" Gunn asks.

Alex laughs, "No, I passed out."

"Oh, I would pass out too." Angel say.

Alex sighs, "What about Cordy?"

"Perfectly normal pregnancy here." Cordy says.

"Well not perfectly normal seeing how you were raped by somebody possessed." Angel says.

"He was possessed?" Wes asks.

"Yeah, so what?" Cordy says.

"There's gotta be more to this then meets the eye." Wes says. "A slayer pregnant with a Vampire's child, who happened to be possessed, Cordy pregnant with a child, who's father was possessed and Alex pregnant with a demon's child."

"Got prophicy written all over it." Angel comments.


	5. Human or Demon

After an extremely quiet car ride back to Sunnydale, Buffy and the Scoobies settle into a somewhat normal routine. Tara and Willow still look for any clue as to how Faith got pregnant, Buffy, who had gotten used to Faith patrolling with her, got back into the swing of doing it alone, Giles showed up, sent by the council to watch their pregnant slayer, Anya was fascinated by what was happening with Faith's body, Dawn busied herself with school, and Xander, well poor Xander took the brunt of a very hormonal Faith's attacks, when not working construction.

Faith stands in her room, desperately trying to fasten her favorite pants over the know visible bulge in her stomach. She makes an irritated noise and picks up a bottle from the table beside the bed, hurling it at wall. "What did that wall do to you?" Xander's voice says from the door. Faith shoots him a glare.

"They don't fit!" she turns to face him.

"Um, Faith, you're pregnant, and being a man I don't know much about being pregnant, but I'm pretty sure that weight gain is a side effect." Xander says raising an eye brow, then ducking the shoe Faith throws at him. "Watch it! I don't want another black eye!"

Faith pouts slightly, which had taken them all by surprise the first few times, "But they don't fit!"

"Sounds like a shopping trip to me," Says Dawn coming into the door.

Faith glares again, "Calling me fat?"

Dawn shakes her head, "It's like living with a crazy person," she mutters under her breath.

Xander makes his quick excite as well, heading toward the safety of the kitchen. Buffy is setting talking with Willow, "Well, I'm just saying that it's been super quiet." Buffy says.

Xander laughs, "Been home much lately? Cause it's anything but quiet around here."

Buffy looks at him, "I meant the Hellmouth."

"Oh that," Xander pretends to have forgotten, "That's the brunette upstairs right?"

Faith slaps him on the back of the head, "Jackass" she mutters moving to fix herself a sandwich.

Willow and Buffy laugh, "You had that one coming."

"Why am the only one who get hit?" Xander asks rubbing the back of his head.

"Because I don't LIKE you to begin with" Faith says smiling slightly.

Xander scowls, "How much more of this do we have to take?"

"Well, she's about eighteen weeks, which means if she carries the normal forty weeks, then well, twenty two weeks." Willow says smiling.

"That was rhetorical." Xander scowls at Willow.

"That's provided she doesn't carry over." Buffy says smiling slightly.

Faith looks down toward her stomach frowning. Tara, who's just entered the room notices, "Faith, is something wrong?" she asks.

Faith looks up at her, "No, nothings wrong," she says placing a protective hand on the bulge.

"Are you sure?" Tara asks moving toward Faith who backs away, "We aren't going to hurt you," Tara says gently.

Faith closes her eyes, "I just felt something, felt like something moving."

Tara smiles softly, "The baby? Faith, it's not unusual for mother's to feel their baby's movements."

Faith relaxes a little, "Even this early?"

Willow smiles, "Hey, there's nothing normal about this so far, why should this be unusual?"

Faith frowns, "What's that supposed to me?"

"Just that we should expect things to go completely normally" Buffy says.

Faith seems appeased, that or her hunger had taken over ounce more because she shrugs and turns her attention back to her sandwich.

LA...

Gunn carries the bags into the hotel, "There's no way in hell you two can wear this many clothes!"

"We need them!" Cordy says.

Alex slumps down in a chair in the office, "I'm tired!"

"Then, go rest." Angel says.

"Because what we're so defenseless little maidens that can't take care of herself." Alex shoots him a little glare.

"That's not...I didn't say that!" Angel looks at Gunn who holds his hands up as if in surrender and looks down at his feet, hiding a smile.

"That's exactly what you said!" Cordy puts her hands on her hip. "You just can't help sticking your foot in your mouth can you?"

"I...what...I...but..." Angel shakes his head, gets up and leaves, looking rather baffled.

Wes comes out holding a book, looking up to see Angel's figure retreating, "Where's he going?"

"To pull his foot out of his ass" Cordy says setting down.

"Excuse me?" Wes asks looking from Cordy to Alex to Gunn.

"Don't ask!" Gunn warns.

Alex's cell rings and she gets up to answer it. "Hey" she says.

"Hey kid" Faith says smiling slightly, "How ya doing?"

"Went shopping with Cordy" Alex says moving to a window and looking out leaning against a cabinet.

"Sounds like fun" Faith says.

"Yeah, you been shopping yet?" Alex asks.

Faith huffs, "No!"

"You should go," Alex says playing with the curtains.

Faith sighs, "I know, nothing fits."

"You okay?" Alex asks.

"Yeah, I'm just moody." Faith says smiling ounce more.

Alex laughs, "Join the club. Between me and Cordy Angel can't do anything right."

"Xander called me the Hellmouth" Faith say chuckling slightly.

"Please tell me you kicked his ass," Alex says seriously.

"I hit on the head." Faith says laughing.

"Should cut his dick off." Alex mutters.

"Alex!" Faith says trying to stop laughing, "You're horrible!"

Alex laughs, "Okay so perhaps taking my advise wouldn't be the wisest decision you've made lately."

"I've made worse," Faith says, "You sure you're okay?"

Alex sighs sending a glance toward the group know laughing in the little corner of the lobby, "They're so worried." She says "Wes hardly comes out of the office, Gunn is patrolling so much he's hardly here, Angel is just lost, and Fred is trying to hold us all together. Cordy bought this little teddy bear today, but I couldn't. I couldn't do it, I keep having this nightmare that the baby is a demon and we're forced to kill it."

Faith is quiet for a long moment, "You gotta lighten up kid, let them worry about that, you just enjoy the ride. Take care of yourself."

Angel stands behind Alex listening quietly. He drops his head, looking toward his feet. "I'm really trying" Alex was saying. He can hear the tears in her voice, and he's pretty sure if he had a beating heart it would be breaking right about know.

Late that night Angel slips out without anybody noticing. He makes his way quietly to where Lorne is at the bar. "I need to talk to you." He says ounce he's seated in front of Lorne.

"I told ya, I'm not hunting down the big bad with you anymore." Lorne says setting a drink down.

"This isn't hunting, it isn't fighting. It's about Alex." Angel says.

Lorne, who had turned away, turns back, "Alex?"

"She's pregnant, but we can't seem to find out what she's pregnant with" Angel says.

"What can I do?" Lorne asks.

"Anyways you could tell us if it's human?" Angel asks.

"She'll have to sing." Lorne says.

"I'm sure she'll do it." Angel says.

"Meet you at the hotel in the morning?" Lorne asks.

"Sure" Angel says getting up and turning to leave, but turning back, "Lorne?"

"Yeah?" Lorne looks at him.

"Don't tell her I came here. And thanks." Angel say turning and leaving before Lorne can answer.

Lorne shows up the next morning, to find Alex up and about. It's obvious she's pregnant, because her ounce flat stomach is slightly rounded. She doesn't immediately see him, her back is to him and she's got her MP3 player on. She's singing along with the song "Stupid Cupid" and bobbing her head. Lorne is almost blown away by what he reads in her. Angel appears on the steps hollering at him. Alex turns to smile at him as well. Lorne stands still, watching the young girl. Alex steps forward, "What's wrong Lorne?"

Lorne smiles suddenly, "Nothing," he shakes his head.

Angel raises an eye brow, "You look like you just saw a ghost."

"More like I saw a future." Lorne says.

Alex looks at Angel, "Did you tell him?"

"What?" Angel looks outraged.

"Forget who told me buttercup, we need the others." Lorne says advancing smiling at her.

Angel calls up the stairs, while Alex looks close to tears with fear. Lorne ushers her into the office space of the lobby and waits for everybody to gather. "I read Alex," he says, "And she's definitely carrying a human." He stops to smile, "And one that's got a big destiny from what I read. I mean this kid is major good force."

Alex, who had been to afraid to listen to Lorne jumps up and says, "You can't kill it!"

"Kill it?" Angel stands turning Alex to face him, "Didn't you hear him? It's human, it's got a soul and all, it's a force of good. This baby is a good thing."

Alex looks up with him, tears in her eyes, "It is?"

"Yeah Buttercup," Lorne says, "It's major big time good."

Angel takes Alex into his arms as everybody looks relieved.

Late the next night Alex is laying awake in bed, thinking of the events of the last couple days. She had called Faith the moment she was alone. A huge relief had been placed upon the hotel, and things seemed, finally, to be getting back to a half way normal routine. Alex's mind wonders to the being, the human being she's is carrying within her. The fear that had gripped her only days ago, know was replaced by another more natural fear. What if she sucks at being a mother? As she lay there, a quick and tiny movement was felt across her stomach. At first the isn't sure what it was, but then another movement. _The baby!_ She thinks. Her hand instinctively moves to the bulge in her stomach, and smile slowly graces her face. As sleep over takes her for the night, her last thoughts are of the child growing protected within her. Alex woke early the next morning, trying to remember the dream she had been having. Getting up she shuffles to the kitchen pouring herself juice she feels the same tiny movement within her stomach as the night before. She picks up her phone and is dialing Faith's number before she realizes what she's doing.

The phone rings several times before Faith's sleepy voice comes on the line, "This better be damn good." she says.

Alex feels slightly guilty, "Sorry I woke you." she says.

"I'm hoping you have something important to tell me." Faith grumbled rolling over.

Alex laughs slightly, "I do! It moved! I can feel the baby moving!" Alex's hand subconsciously moves to her stomach, as she smiles.

"You to?" Faith asks, a little more alert now.

Alex feel the excitement bubble in her, "Yeah! Isn't it awesome, I mean in away it scares the hell out of me because it's like holy shit, there's really a baby in there, and I mean it's not exactly like I know anything about taking care of a baby and then there's this whole force of great power thing that I donno, am I supposed to teach it that? I don't know how to do that! But then it's really cool too, I mean think about Faith, there's a living being inside of us! Isn't is just awesome?"

"Hold up there. Force of great power?" Faith asked, "And yeah I know what you mean."

Alex pauses, "I didn't tell you? Well, when Lorne read me apparently he could read the baby or something cause he's all amazed and stuff. He says the baby is destined for great things. And normally I would say he was just making me feel better, but honestly Faith you didn't see his face. He was shocked." Alex runs her finger along the rim of her glass. There's a long pause and Alex thinks perhaps Faith has gone back to sleep, "Faith?" she says quietly.

"I'm here..." Faith replied, "You think it has something to do with this whole sitch?"

"I don't know Faith, but I know that whatever happens it's gonna be okay. I mean all three of us pregnant at ounce can't be by mistake or something, there IS a reason. Wes is trying to find out, I just wish I could do more. I feel like I'm not doing anything, but talking to you. I feel like I should fix this somehow." Alex sighs deeply again thinking how in just a few short weeks her life had changed so drastically. She then thinks how attached she's become to the voice on the other end of her phone. Sudden tears form in her eyes as she fight to keep her voice even, "You're alright, right?"

"Don't cry, please don't cry." Faith told her feeling the tears sting her eyes also. "Hell I'm more than a little freaked out but it's ok to be scared. That's what they keep telling me anyways, but we have each other right?"

Alex takes a deep breath trying to calm her own tears, "God we're a mess." She says chuckling softly. "I think as long as we stick together, we'll be fine." Alex again sighs still fighting tears, "I would never have thought I would be here a year ago."

"I'm crying in front of people now, that's just not me. It's this sea monkeys' fault." Faith said as she wiped the tears off her face, "You tell anyone about this and you're gonna get it." Faith said trying to cover up the tears. Faith thought about it...she'd almost went to prison the last thing she ever thought about was having kids. The thought hadn't really crossed her mind ever. "I really don't wanna be like my mom." Faith whispered, not really saying it to anyone but herself.

Alex hears Faith's pain and her heart breaks all over again, "You won't be. You're so much stronger then you know. YOU'RE a force of good. And I think that the baby you are carrying is really lucky. I think you're gonna go great." Alex sniffles slightly, "And if I told anybody you were crying, then I would have to tell them I was crying and that's for sure not going to happen." Alex wipes the tears from her own eyes.

Faith lets out a small laugh, "This is crazy, one minute I'm fine the next I'm crying. When is this gonna end?"

Alex laughs, "I think it ends ounce the baby's born, so that should be a few more months." Alex laughs again, "Haven't killed Xander yet have ya?" Alex feels the baby move as she gets up and stirs around the kitchen a little. After a moment, "Seriously, you haven't like seriously injured him yet have you?"

"Why would you think that?" Faith asks a little defensive. "Just because I've actually killed someone doesn't mean I'm just gonna kill Xander. Sure we don't see eye to eye but I don't want him dead."

Alex pauses, "Sorry Faith. I didn't mean that you wanted him dead." Alex sighs, "Sorry." she says again.

"It's five by five. I have been pretty rough on him...I'm not exactly sure why." Faith answers.

Alex laughs a little, "Because he's a man and we hate men right know. Goes with being knocked up I think." Alex laughs, "He's got most of it coming I think." Alex crosses to set on the couch, "Have you been back to any type of doctor? I mean we know that the baby's at least half human."

"Not yet. You?" Faith says sitting up in the bed.

"No, Angel onto me about going again but I donno." Alex moves to get comfortable on the couch, which she realizes has become harder. There's another long pause, until finally Alex says, "Tell me something honestly."

"What's that?" Faith asks.

"How are you really feeling? Because I know Willow says you're always saying your fine, and stuff, and I tell Angel and them that, but I feel fat and frumpy and hormonal." Alex says rubbing her ever expanding belly.

"I think you just summed it up in three words or less." Faith replied, "Do you get the feeling that they're growing a little too fast?"

Alex sets there a moment, "You too huh? Cordy thinks I'm crazy but a swear I get bigger everyday!" Alex pauses, "Wait, Faith, what exactly do you mean? I mean can you explain it?"

"All I'm saying is what if they're not growing like 100 human babies would...what if because of the sperm donors they're different." Faith said, "Haven't you wondered about it?"

Alex sets there a moment, "Everyday, a thousand times a day." she replies.

Faith suddenly lets out a rather large yawn.

Alex hearing Faith's yawn, "You should go back to sleep. I'm gonna get ready for work I think, not that Angel will let me work. I so want to go hunting." She sighs.

"I know what ya mean." Faith replies, "I'll talk to you soon ok. You need anything you know my number, just try not to make it 5 in the morning next time." Faith said smiling.

Alex can't suppress her laugh, "But Faith!"

"Don't give me that...go to work, I'm going to bed." Faith laughs.

Alex, know in full giggle mode, "But I thought you were always up for causing trouble!"

"I am, just not when I'm asleep." Faith replied, "It's been hard to sleep because sea monkey here doesn't know when it's time to go to bed, plus I've been having heartburn from hell."

Alex stops giggling, "I'm sorry Faith." She smiles slightly, "Sounds like you might just be getting attacked to sea monkey." There's a pause, "For the record, I'm kinda attached too." Alex says gently.

"They kinda grow on ya, ya know." Faith said.

"Yeah, trust me I know." Alex says stroking her own stomach. "Go back to sleep Faith, and tell Sea Monkey that if it don't let ya go back to sleep, Alex is coming to get it."

"I'm sure it'll be oh so scared." Faith laughed, "Night Alex."

"Morning Faith," Alex laughs hanging up the phone she looks down toward her own stomach, "Faith is silly huh?" she says feeling the baby kick. "But she's a good person, no matter what she's done." Alex says before getting up and readying herself for work.

Faith feels the baby roll around, "Oh no you don't, Sea Monkey go back to bed now." The baby continued to move, "I'm not kidding."


	6. Visions and Bunnies

Alex watches as Cordy shows Angel and them her latest ultrasound. She can hear the congratulations that goes up among the group, and her heart silently breaks. She puts a smile on her face as Angel beckons her over. "Alex you gotta see this!" He says smiling broadly at her.

Alex makes her way over, plastering her face with her usual smile as she goes. "That's great Cordy, I'm glad things are looking so good for you and the baby." And she means it, honest she does. However this little part of her is jealous, because she can't do all of these things.

Cordy deposits the ultrasound in her purse, "Well, lets get to work, make the world a little safer and all." She smiles at them.

Alex, having done her friendly obligation, goes back to her chair in the corner with her book.

"Whatcha got there?" Cordy's voice comes from above her.

Alex looks up to see Cordy standing over her, and smiles at her. "Nothing, just research."

"Want some help?" Cordy asks.

"Naw, I got this, you should rest." Alex says turning her attention back to the book.

Cordy frowns, "You should too. Besides, I feel great."

"Great," Alex smiles at her ounce more, then turns back to her book.

"Alex," Cordy says taking a seat beside her, "I'm sorry."

"What?" Alex looks up ounce more at Cordy, "What are you sorry for?"

"For being all happy when you obviously aren't." Cordy answer.

Alex sighs, "I'm fine, I'm just glad you and the baby are okay."

Cordy again frowns, "What about you? I mean you are okay right?"

Alex sets there for a moment, thinking back to her conversation with Faith, "I am as long as I have friends like you." She says finally.

Cordy nods, seeming to understand the importance of what Alex has just said. Angel makes his way over, "I told you no working Alex."

Alex laughs looking up at the Vampire, with his arms folded across his chest. If it were anybody but Angel she might have been a tiny bit afraid of his defensive posture, "Who says I'm not pleasure reading?"

"Since when is reading about demons pleasure reading?" Wes asks.

"Since I starting hanging out with you," Alex smirks.

"Ouch, that had to hurt," Gunn says looking through the papers on the desk.

"Hey outta the papers on the desk!" Cordy calls getting up to slap at his hands, "Those are mine!"

Gunn rolls his eyes, "Possessive much?"

Just as she sets down, Cordy grabs her head. All eyes turn to her as Angel rushes to her side. She yells in pain, causing Alex's blood to race. Finally, Cordy catches her breath, "I'm okay" she says closing her eyes.

"What did you see?" Wes asks.

"I'm not sure," Cordy thinks back to the vision, "Vampires attacking a young girl. Couldn't be more then sixteen, there was like three of them. Fifth and Avalanche."

"Are you sure you're okay? The baby? Is the baby okay?" Angel asks.

Cordy smile slightly, "We're fine, know go!"

"I'll watch her," Alex says standing with her arms folded over her expanded belly, "GO!"

Angel, Wes, and Gunn take off leaving Cordy, Alex and Fred alone at the hotel. "You should go lay down, here's my key." Alex says handing Cordy her apartment key.

"Sure you don't mind?" Cordy asks rubbing her temples.

"I'm sure," Alex nods, "Just holler if you need anything."

"I will," Cordy says lifting herself out of the chair.

Alex sets down across the desk from Fred, "So, found anything interesting lately?"

"Oh," Fred looks excited, "I found out that you can open a portal with this new equation." Fred starts to explain it, but stops suddenly, "Alex..."

Alex, who was prepared to zone out wasn't exactly paying her best attention, "Huh?" She looks up to find Fred looking horrified and pointing behind her. Alex looks around to see a portal has opened and two demons, she's assuming, that look like huge white bunnies come walking out. "Get upstairs with Cordy!" she yells at Fred.

"But you can't fight! You're pregnant!" Fred protests.

"Get up stairs!" Alex yells again.

The bunny looking demons look around the hotel as if confused as to how they got there. There eyes land on Alex, who is obviously pregnant, "You conjured us?" one asks.

"No, where the hell did you come from?" Alex asks.

"Your imagination." The second bunny answers.

"You're telling me there's a portal to my imagination? Good try, know what the hell are you?" Alex says moving to the weapons cabinet.

"I told you, we came from your imagination. You conjured us. You're a witch I presume?" the first Bunny Demon asks.

"How the hell would you know?" Alex asks reaching for a sward.

"We do not wish harm, we do not wish evil." Says the second Bunny Demon, "She is pregnant." he looks at the other demon.

"I'm not THAT big am I?" Alex asks in outrage.

The bunny looking demon laughs, "We've been told many times about you, that you would conjure us." Says the first Bunny Demon.

"Excuse me?" Alex asks, pointing the sward at the Bunny Demons.

"It's said your child is a very powerful force of good." Says the second Bunny Demon.

"You are one of three." Says the first Bunny Demon, "We wish only to serve you."

"I think you got the wrong girl." Alex says as they bow in front of her, "Scratch that, I KNOW you got the wrong girl." Just as Alex is about to ask them what the hell is going on, the portal opens ounce more and they disappear into it. Alex looks down a the sward in her hand and something Faith said this morning crosses her mind, '_what if they're not growing like 100 human babies?' Oh shit!_ Alex thinks as Fred makes her way down the stairs.

"Are they gone?" she asks timidly.

Alex looks up, "Yeah they're gone."

Cordy, who followed Fred down, asks "What were they?"

Alex thinks for a second, "Big white Bunnies?"

"Well not the scariest thing we've ever seen." Cordy says.

Alex stands there remembering something, "I think I some how summoned them. Right before the portal opened, I was thinking about demons and how if all of them were just really big white fluffy bunnies then, well there wouldn't be nearly as much trouble in the world."

"But how can you just conjure a portal? I mean you aren't a strong enough witch are you?" Fred asks looking rather nervous.

"I donno..." Alex says feeling the baby move, she looks down, "What if I didn't do the conjuring?"

"You don't think the baby did do ya?" Cordy asks.

Alex shrugs still looking down at the place where her child is kicking her, "I donno."

Just then Angel walks in followed by Wes and Gunn. He stops seeing Alex hold the sward, "What happened?"

"We were..." Alex thinks, "Attacked by bunnies."

"Attacked?!" Angel rushes to them, "Are you okay?"

Alex laughs, "We're fine."

Gunn frowns, "Did you say you were attacked by bunnies?"

Alex nods, "Well we weren't exactly attacked I don't guess." She frowns.

"What kinda bunnies?" Angel asks.

"Big fluffy white ones that can talk." Cordy says making her way down the stairs. The guys all glance at each other then at the girls ounce more, "Oh and Alex's baby probably conjured them." She says with her back to them.

"You're unborn child conjured big white fluffy rabbits?" Wes raises an eye brow.

"What the hell you cooking in there girl? Some kinda pacifistic witch?" Gunn asks shaking his head.

Alex sighs, "I'm not sure."

Gunn looks at her sudden sad face, "Hey, I'm sorry okay? At least it's not conjuring demons." he says gently.

Alex fights back tears, "But if it's conjuring this then who the hell knows what it can do. Forget the fact that it's recking my body, it's more powerful them me. I can feel it, it's power mixing with mine and there's no telling what's gonna happen."

"The baby is sharing your power?" Wes asks.

Alex nods still fighting back tears. Angel watches her, "Did these Bunnies say anything?"

Alex gathers herself, "Yeah, something about me being one of three." she says making her way to the office and setting down with Cordy.

Everybody follows her, "Well, this is interesting." Wes says, heading for his books ounce more.

Sunnydale...

Faith turns over in bed, tossing slightly in her sleep.

_She's at the hotel in LA with Angel and them. Three little girls set playing on the floor before her. One is brown headed, with bright blue eyes, the second had long flowing red hair with bright green eyes, the third has long black hair with brown eyes. All three are dressed in dresses. The black headed young girl, who looks to be about five, looks toward Faith, "Mommy it broke!"_

"_You can't play so rough Sea Monkey," Faith says as the little girl gets up and comes over to her, "You're stronger then you realize."_

"_But I didn't mean to break it Mommy!" the little girl says looking sad._

"_Lets see if I can fix it." Faith takes the broken doll, and fixes it. "Here go, Sea Monkey." Birds sail through the air, causing all three to squeal with delight "Trouble junior, I'm not telling you again to stop conjuring birds." Faith shakes her head and laughs in spite of herself._

"_But it fun Auntie Faith!" the redheaded child proclaims._

"_We're all tired of cleaning up bird shi...crap." Faith corrects._

"_That's not what you meant to say!" says the third child, standing and putting her hands on her hips._

"_I said exactly what I meant to say Lil' C!" Faith says thinking how much like Cordy the child is._

"_Sure you did," all three children roll their eyes._

_At that moment the door opens and Alex comes in with a guy. "I'm just saying if you really aren't feeling good, we could postpone this." the guy ways saying._

_Alex turns putting her hands on her hips, "I'm pregnant not an involute you moron. And it's your fault!" Alex turns to smile at Faith as the redheaded child jumps into her arms._

"_Mommy!" She says in delight, "I made birds again and Auntie Faith almost said shit again!"_

_Alex shakes her head trying not to laugh, "What have I told you about repeating those words?"_

"_That they are grown up words." the child plays with the buttons on her t-shirt._

"_That's right," Alex says setting her down, "And don't conjure anything else." Alex makes her way over to Faith, "How's it going?" _

_Faith stands, embracing Alex, "Hey trouble, thought I might come see how much trouble we could raise."_

_Alex laughs, pointing to the young man know playing with the girls, "None if he has his way."_

"_Well, he won't have it!' Faith laughs, her attention turning back to the children, "You know why I'm really here right?"_

"_The prophecy?" Alex asks sighing heavily, "Hard to believe he could be trying to turn them."_

"_Well, he is a demon. And technically he is Trouble Juniors father." Faith says looking at Alex, "She'll be the first he'll try to turn most likely."_

_Alex nods, "I know, it says sometime between know and when they are sixteen. We should have killed it when we were pregnant." _

"_We all were worried about the effects on the babies." Faith says sighing. _

"_If only we had found the prophecy before, it was right under our noise too." Alex again sighs, rubbing her stomach. "I'm so not ready for another one." she says._

Sea Monkey gives a big wake up kick jerking Faith from her sleep. She tries to remember the dream. Slowly it comes back to her, and she can't help but smile at the sight of the young child that is her own. Slowly she touches the place where her child is kicking. Then the rest of the dream comes back to her, _the prophecy is right under their noise. What the hell does that mean? _She thinks as she gets up and dresses for breakfast.

LA...

Cordy was just putting her cereal bowl in the sink when she feels a vision. She grabs the counter as she feels the pain mounting in her head. She closes her eyes, seeing the monster that attacked Alex attacking an older woman. Cordy recognizes her immediately as the picture on Alex's bed side table. It's her mother, a man yells from beside her. The demons lunges at him, slitting his throat so that blood goes everywhere. The woman screams, and tries to run he catches her, "Give me the prophecy!" he says angrily.

"NO! You won't take it! You'll kill me first!" the woman yells, "You won't hurt her!"

"Hurt her?" The demon asks, "Your daughter, is she in the prophecy."

"Leave us alone!" the woman screams. She tries to jerk away, but the demon slams her hard against the wall. "Save her please, take this monster out of here, let him find not what he seeks, for he seeks only evil. Protect her, protect my child." Just as she finishes the spell the demon stabs her with a knife, blood running everywhere. Cordy watches as he searches for the prophecy, but doesn't find it.

Slowly she comes back to reality. She's sunk to the floor, tears rolling down her face. Of all the things she's seen, this may be the worst. Alex's parents died protecting her, keeping the prophecy from the demon. The prophecy, that's it! All their stuff is at the hotel, perhaps the prophecy is in there stuff! Cordy pulls herself from the floor, dialing Angel's number she explains about the prophecy, saying she'll be right there...

It's been three hours since Alex has actually said anything to anybody. The boxes of her parents stuff is setting in the lobby, as each of them search through them for the prophecy. For some weird reason, Fred keeps holding up various pictures and stuff saying "Aww, look at little Alex!" Angel looks up from his own box, sighing as he sees her fingering a blanket. He's sure that she's thinking about her parents. Cordy had left out more of the gruesome details when retelling the story to Alex and them. Alex had agreed this would go a lot faster if everybody searches, but secretly Angel wondered if it wasn't simply to avoid the fight. He watches her sigh, and pull more stuff out of her box.

"I found it!" Cordy yells suddenly pulling everybody from the quiet they had settled into.

Alex looks up, "Good." she says putting her stuff back into the box, but reserving the blanket. She stands crossing to Cordy, "That's my Mom's book, passed down through her family."

Cordy looks down at the book she's holding, "Here, you should look up the prophecy." she says handing the book to Alex, but Alex shakes her head.

"That's Wesley's department." Alex says before turning back to her own box, "If ya'll will get this back upstairs, then I'm gonna take a walk." she says.

"You okay?" Angel asks, watching her scoop to pick up the blanket.

"I'm fine." Alex answers, turning to look at them all ounce more, "I'm really okay."

They watch as she makes her way out of the hotel. For a long moment nobody says anything, there was simply nothing to say. At least not that they new. Angel sighs, picking up the phone and dialing a number and waiting until Faith answers. "Hey Faith, we think we might have found something."

Faith smiles, "That's great!"

"Yeah," Angel says not feeling all that excited.

Faith frowns, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I mean we haven't started to translate it yet, I just wanted to let you know we found the prophecy." Angel says, still thinking about Alex.

"So why so doom and gloom sounding?" Faith asks.

"Nothing, just Alex..." Angel sighs.

"Alex what? Is she okay?" Faith asks worriedly.

"She's fine, but we found it in her mother's stuff. Apparently it was what the demon was looking for when he killed her parents." Angel says.

"Holy shit," Faith says, "that's harsh, how'd she take it?"

Angel is quiet for a moment, "Well, she left." he says finally.

"Left?" Faith asks.

"Said she was taking a walk." Angel answers.

Faith sighs, "Let me know when she comes back." she says.

"I will." Angel says, hanging up the phone.

Alex is setting in the park when Gunn sets down next to her. For a moment nobody says anything. Finally Gunn steals a glance at her, "Thought I might find you here."

"Yup." Alex says still fingering the blanket from earlier. "This was mine. My mom made it." she says holding the blanket up.

"Really?" Gunn says watching her know. He can see the tear stains on her face.

"Yeah," Alex nods a little, "I miss them."

"Yeah, I know you do." Gunn says reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder, "And that's okay."

"I love you guys, I love the life I have, but I just..." Alex gathers herself up a little. "They were good people."

"They raised a good daughter too, one that they died trying to protect, and you know that we'll do the same right?" Gunn says.

"No you won't Gunn." Alex says finally looking at him, "You can't."

Gunn sighs, "Alex, you gotta tell us how to help."

Alex smiles slightly, "Just be there Gunn. Just like you always have. I guess I hadn't even thought about this."

"About what?" Gunn asks quietly.

"This, my parents, the baby, the everything. I mean yeah I thought about it, but today going through all that stuff, it was like a piece if me broke all over again." Alex says fighting tears.

Gunn pulls her to him, "Nobody would say anything if you were scared. I mean you are eighteen and pregnant, that's scary enough, but then add to it the fact that we're not sure what you're carrying then...it's enough to scare anybody."

Alex nods against his chest, "I keep thinking maybe they're watching over me."

Gunn holds her even tighter, "I can promise you they are." he says quietly, feeling her sob slightly.

Finally Gunn and Alex make their way back to the hotel, she's laughing when they walk in and you can almost hear the sigh of relief. "What's so funny?" Cordy asks smiling as they enter.

"Nothing," Alex waves it off smiling, "Sorry I disappeared on you."

"Hey, you're entitled to disappear every ounce in while." Cordy says smiling at her.

"Just tell us where you disappear to next time." Angel says.

"Kinda defeats the purpose there Bro." Alex says laughing.

"Did you just call him Bro?" Cordy asks shaking her head.

"What else would I call him?" Alex asks laughing slightly.

"It's one of the better names he's been called," Cordy winks at Angel.

Angel scowls obviously about to say something when the door opens to the hotel and in walks a young man. He's got brown hair in a buzz cut, a six pack under his tight black t-shirt, slightly tan, sunglasses perched atop his head. Overall a very hot guy. All eyes turn to him, "Noah?" Wes asks.

The guy puts down a bag, looking at Wes, "Wesley Windom Prirc, they didn't tell me you were here. Course, you're not exactly a watcher anymore are you?" A smirk forms on the guys face.

Wes glares, "What do you want?"

"I'm here to watch over a pregnant witch. Knocked up a demon, suppose you let that happen?" Noah says.

"She doesn't need a watcher. Watchers aren't sent to witches anyways." Wes says glancing at Alex.

"Special circumstances." Noah says, "I'm Noah," he looks at Cordy first.

"I'm not sure why you're looking at me that way, but it's creepy" Cordy says.

Noah just smirks, "They said you were a handful."

Alex laughs, "Jackass, she's not pregnant with a demon. God, could they have sent a bigger idiot?"

"They could have sent his brother," Wes says smiling slightly.

"There's a brother? His parents reproduced more then ounce?" Alex says shooting a nasty look at Noah.

Noah scowls, "Let me guess, you're Alexandra?"

"I'm your worst enemy if you don't leave." Alex says turning full on to face him.

"You're pregnant." Noah says.

"Thanks for the news flash, genius." Alex rolls her eyes.

Angel steps in front of Alex, who looks about ready to pounce, "We got her, we're watching out for her, but thanks though."

"The council asked me to come, so that I could watch over her. She's carrying a very powerful baby, and we feel it could be dangerous not to have eyes and ears on her." Noah says, "I'm afraid I can't go anywhere."

Alex steps from behind Angel glaring still, "I don't need eyes and ears on me. If you're not careful I'll send them your eyes and ears back, detached."

Noah steps back slightly, "Um..." he says.

Angel pulls Alex back slightly, "You go upstairs, we'll handle this." he says, "Before somebody gets hurt."

Alex sends one more glare at Noah, who hasn't moved from the door, and makes her way upstairs.

_Note: Okay so you're getting this today because we got so many reviews! Gosh I'm glad ya'll are liking it, and please keep reviewing, they simply make our day! Thanks: Heather and Sabra _


	7. Noah

Noah makes his way into the hotel, "Listen," he says.

"No," Angel interrupts, "you listen, we can handle her."

"The council sent me, because this baby is big, and it's a good force. As far as I can tell, they need to make sure it come to being, and that everything is okay. Troubles brewing and it involves her and that baby." Noah says.

"Why don't you just tell us what to watch out for." Wes says, "We'll handle it from there."

"We don't know what it is that's coming. I've been sent mostly to help. I can't go back and say that you sent me back. I'm not returnable." Noah says.

"Look, we know how to take care of her, and Cordy and we don't need help." Gunn says.

Noah sighs, "I'm not leaving. There's a pregnant eighteen year old in danger, and there's a good chance you could be danger as well," Noah points at Cordy. "And I'm not saying you can't protect her, I'm saying isn't it easier if there's another pair of eyes?"

"If she don't send them back to council in a box." Angel says.

"And she would" Cordy says.

"Girls got spunk." Gunn says.

Noah fidgets slightly, "You really think she would..." Everybody nods and he swallows hard. "I'll take my chances," he squeaks.

Angel shrugs, "Show him to a room then" he says. 

Fred, who up till the point hadn't said anything, stands up, "I will."

"Thanks Fred." Angel says.

After Fred and Noah have disappeared up the steps, "He's determined." says Angel.

"I don't trust him." Wes says.

"Well, we could use more eyes around here." Gunn says, "Don't mean we have to trust him."

"I'm just hoping Alex doesn't kill him" Cordy says.

"Yeah, there's a good chance we'll have to watch her more then him" Angel says. "Maybe Faith could talk to her."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure she could, teach her ever trick in the slayer book." Cordy says.

"Faith isn't like that anymore, she's changed." Angel says.

"Oh I know, but she's still Faith, and she's still...wild." Cordy says.

"Good point." Angel says.

"Maybe we should limit Alex's time with Faith?" Wes says.

"They need each other, lets just keep an eye on Noah" Angel says.

Alex dials Faith's number hearing someone pick up she says, "They sent a watcher to me, how dare they? Can you believe me, cocky little jackass too. I mean good God, I don't need to be watched. Something about the baby and it being powerful and some shit. I mean where were they when a demon murdered my parents huh? Setting on their damn asses, because witches don't need watcher. Well I got enough people watching my every freaking move I don't need another one. I told him I would detach his ears and send them back to them. And I meant it! Okay so maybe it's an empty threat but I sure as hell ant telling him that. I just think this is a bunch of shit! Well, do you have anything to say?" 

"Faith isn't here." Willow's voice come across the line.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry Willow!" Alex covers her mouth.

Willow laughs, "It's okay, sounds like they think the baby needs a watcher. Who'd they send?"

"Noah something or other." Alex says.

"I'll ask Giles if he knows him." Willow says.

"Wes knows him, says he has an older brother. Seems like a jackass to me." Alex says.

"You'll be okay," Willow says, "Just don't cast any spells on him, before you figure out what's going on."

Alex is quiet for a long moment, "Hadn't even thought about that, thanks Willow!"

"No! Alex! You better not cast a spell on him!" Willow says.

Alex laughs, "Relax, I'm not that hormonal."

Alex can almost see Willow raise an eye brow, "You sure?"

"Okay so maybe it's a little like hormone overload or something, but still." Alex says, "Besides, if anybody cast any spells it'll be the baby."

"The baby?" Willow asks.

"Yeah, it opened a portal." Alex says.

"IT WHAT!" Willow asks.

"Faith didn't tell you?" Alex asks.

"Lets just say Faith isn't talking much today, doing more throwing then talking." Willow says, "Mostly at Xander."

Alex laughs, "Yeah, her favorite pass time." 

"So what happened when the portal opened?" Willow asks.

"Well, Two big white bunny demon things came walking out. They didn't hurt me, or anything they said the baby was really powerful. And that it was one of three and then the portal opened again and they were gone." Alex says.

"Bunnies?" Willow asks, trying not to let Alex hear her laugh.

"Go on and laugh, everybody did." Alex says.

"It's unusual for sure." Willow says giggling slightly.

Alex laughs, "Well, nobody ever claimed this baby was normal."

"I'll tell Faith you called okay?" Willow says.

"Yeah," Alex says, "Tell her to give Sea Monkey kisses for me."

"Sea Monkey?" Willow asks.

"She'll understand." Alex says.

"Okay," Willow shrugs, "call if you need anything."

"I will." Alex assures her before hanging up.

Faith sets on her bed watching as Xander repairs her closet door. (She hadn't meant to break it, but she was pissed and well...she's not sure how it happened.) "I could fix that." She says.

"No, you're pregnant, and I'm a carpenter." Xander says glancing at her.

Faith smiles as she sees him lift the door into place, "Want me to hold it?"

"No, I wouldn't mind if you explained again how it got broke." Xander says, wiping his brow.

Faith shrugs, "It just broke." she says. Watching Xander she feels lust rising to the surface. _Oh shit, not know_ she thinks. But the more the watches him the more it grows. Before she knows what she's doing she's cocking her eye brow in that super cute way she does, and smiling seductively at him, "Why don't you come rest?" she says patting the bed beside her.

Xander, sensing trouble stumbles backwards, "No thanks, I'm fine really."

"But you're all hot and sweaty." Faith says.

"Um, I should, yeah I should go do...yeah" Xander says heading for the door. Before he gets there, he here's sob behind him against his better judgment turns around. "What the hell!"

Faith lets her tears fall, "I'm horny okay? I can't help it. And nobody wants to have sex with a girl the size of a house!"

Xander stands there bumfusled for a second. Faith crying, shit. "You're not the size of a house." he says finally.

"But I am!" Faith cries harder, "I got asked when I'm due the other day!"

"I'm sure they were just wondering." Xander says.

She shoots him a glare, "Well my body, my time line!" 

"Of course it is!" Xander says stepping into the room a little farther.

"I'm not sure why I'm crying." Faith says.

"That would make at least two of us." Xander says.

"This is so not me." Faith says.

Xander sets down beside her on the bed, "You're going through a lot. Anybody else would have cracked a long time ago."

Tara is laying awake, Willow's arms wrapped loosely around her. She stairs into the darkness, her mind doesn't seem to want to shut off tonight. She feels Willow snuggle closer and knows she's still awake as well, but Tara doesn't say anything. She doesn't want to pull Willow from her own thoughts.

"You awake baby?" Willow asked after a few minutes of silence. 

Tara smiles into the darkness turning to Willow, "Yeah, you?"

Willow returned the smile looking at Tara. "Yeah. I can't sleep. I just keep thinking about Alex, Faith and Cordelia, and this big prophecy. You know they have to be freaked out. I mean hello pregnant for one, that's scary enough but..." Willow babbled along until Tara stopped her.

After gently pulling out of the kiss she had used to stop Willow, Tara smiles. "I think you're right, they do have to be freaked out. But I think it'll all work out." There's another moment of quiet, "What do you think this prophecy will say? I mean, you don't think there's anything wrong with the babies do you?" Tara asks timidly.

"I'm not sure, whatever it is we'll beat it, unless it's good." Willow said but stops herself before going into babble mode again. "Alex's baby has powers, it conjured up a portal." Willow laughed, "And you'll never guess what came out of it."

"Powers?" Tara asks shocked, "That's...good I hope. What came out of it, is she okay?" Tara looks slightly scared, though Willow's laugh eases her fear slightly.

"Yeah I know I was shocked too. But Lorne did say the baby was a great source of good so it has to be a good thing right?" Willow asked, "Also if it was evil I think it would conjure something a little more scary than bunnies." 

Tara laughs, "Bunnies?" She giggles placing her hand on Willow cheek, "Are you serious?" After a moment, both girls control their giggles, Tara thinks, "How's Alex doing? I haven't talked to her in a couple days."

"She's fine...well except for the fact The Watcher's Council decided to send someone to well, watch her, while she's pregnant. She's not liking the idea too well." 

Tara nods, "I don't guess so. Ya know her parents asked for protection before they died right?"

"Seriously? They knew about the council?" Willow asked, "How'd you find out?"

Tara is quiet for a moment, "I'm not sure how they new, but they asked them to protect Alex." She's quiet for another moment, "While we were in LA, I found Alex crying. And I had to ask her why, she kinda opened up."

"I don't blame her for being upset." Willow replied.

Tara sets up in bed, playing with the covers. "They thought that by not telling her about the prophecy it would protect her. She heard them fighting about the Council." Tara is silent for a moment, "I just keep thinking about how scared she must have been. Losing her parents that way. Then I think about Faith and how even though she doesn't show it she's scared. I just keep wondering if we really are doing everything." Tara sighs slightly.

"What do you mean baby?" Willow asked as she sat up with Tara looking into her eyes. 

"I just mean that, we're so worried about these babies, has anybody stopped to think about Faith ad Alex and Cordelia? Has anybody asked if Faith wants to go baby shopping? She's twenty two weeks, she should start buying stuff. Nobody is celebrating these babies. And I just think..." Tara sighs again letting her voice trail off. Tara is silence for another moment, "I guess Faith isn't much on baby shopping huh? But if feels like..." there's another sigh as Tara tries to put her thoughts into words.

"That we should at least be offering to go?" Willow suggested. 

Tara nods, "Yeah, just to let her know we're here for her. We are right?" Tara asks, "I mean no matter what we're here for her, and for each other right?"

"Of course we are. Sure Faith and I don't always see eye to eye and she did try to kill me...but I think she has changed." Willow replied, "And I'm pretty sure she's nicknamed her baby Sea Monkey." 

Tara laughs, "So that's who she was talking to. I'm sure she's changed Willow, I can feel it." 

"Do you think we should ask her if she wants to go shopping tomorrow...or maybe a doctor? She's never exactly went since L.A." Willow said thinking about it, "I'm sure she'd want to get out of the house. It's so not Faith to stay couped up all the time."

Tara smiles, "I'm sure she would love it. And it would give us time out of the house to, we haven't exactly been doing much lately either."

"Yeah." Willow says and then pauses for a moment. "Tara?" 

"Yeah?" Tara looks at Willow.

"Do you want kids? I mean have you ever thought about it?" Willow asks a little drowsy, "With everyone around us going to have a baby, well maybe not everyone, it's just made me think about it, you know."

Tara smiles slightly, "I've thought about it, I would like to have kids. Would you?" Tara asks trying to fight sleep, she loves these late night talks with Willow.

"Of course I would." Willow said yawning. "You'd make a great mom." Willow snuggled close to Tara again. 

Tara smiles, snuggling closer to Willow, "So would you." she says before finally she had no choice but to give into sleep.

"I love you." Willow mumbled into Tara's ear after kissing her cheek.

Tara smiles mumbling "I love you too," back to Willow before falling into a wonderful dream.

Cordy knocks gently on Alex's door, finding it open she enters. Alex is sleeping on the couch. Cordy looks over the teenage, realizing with a twinge of guilt that she hadn't noticed how big Alex had gotten. Alex is sleeping softly, and Cordy makes her way in to set in a chair by the girl. When first she had arrived horrible nightmares had barred Alex's sleep. Cordy had set by her side many nights, trying to somehow comfort the child. _She's not a child though, she's an adult. One that's about to have a baby._ Cordy reminds herself, placing a hand on her own stomach. Gently Cordy reaches out and strokes Alex's hair. Slowly Alex's eyes flutter open. She doesn't look surprised to see Cordy setting there, but instead smiles up at her. "You don't have to watch me all the time." she says softly.

Cordy laughs, "We're never sure what kinda trouble you're up to."

Alex set up, with some difficulty, "What's going on Cordy?"

"I've just been thinking." Cordy says looking down at her hands which are resting atop her stomach.

"About the baby?" Alex asks watching her.

"Yeah," Cordy nods, "Pretty big thing huh?"

Alex is quiet for a moment, "I think we should be worried if we weren't scared. I mean, this is a big thing."

"But we can do it though. I mean, it's not like we're destined to be bad mothers." Cordy looks at Alex.

"No, we aren't. I don't think anybody is destined to be a bad mother. I think if you love a child, then that's half the battle right?" Alex says rubbing the spot where the baby is kicking.

Cordy nods, "I guess you're right."

Alex gets up retrieving the blanket she had found, "My mother made this." she says handing it to Cordy, "When I was little, I would sleep with it because I thought it kept the monsters away."

Cordy looks at the blanket, "Wishing it still did?"

"Sometimes. I mean demon fighting is cool, and I'm good at it. But it's like, ounce you start you can't stop. This is breed into me." Alex says.

"And you're scared it's gonna hurt the baby?" Cordy asks. Alex nods, "Me too" Cordy answers.

Alex sets there for a moment, "I would do anything for any of you. I would do anything for this baby. I love it. And that possibly scares me more then anything."

"Because if you love it this much and it isn't even here, how much will you love it when it is here?" Cordy nods, "I get it."

Alex and Cordy fall into silence. It's a comfortable silence as all of them are between the two. There's not need for them to say much, they just seem to understand what's going through the other's mind.

Faith waddles, to her horror Xander had pointed out the fact that she no longer walks but waddles, into the kitchen. It's dark and she doesn't notice Buffy setting at the table. 

Buffy watched as Faith made her way to the fridge. "Whatcha doing?" Buffy asked, smiling as she saw Faith jump. 

Faith turns around as quickly as possible in her current condition, "B! You scared the hell outta me, don't do shit like that!"

"Sorry" Buffy said a small smile on her lips. 

"I bet you are." Faith shoots her a dirty look, turning her attention back to the ice cream she had previously been searching for. "Ice cream?" she asks pulling out a container to show Buffy.

"Sure." Buffy said, "So how are you? Feeling any better?"

Faith grabs to spoons and sets down beside Buffy, "Five by five. How was patrolling?" she hands Buffy a spoon digging into the ice cream.

"You know the usual. Found a Fyarl demon in Restfield." Buffy replied taking a bite of ice cream. 

Faith nods, "Cool" taking a bite of her ice cream, "Wish I could be out there with ya. No fair you having all the fun."

"Well it's not exactly that much fun. I miss our synchronized slaying." Buffy said taking another bite of ice cream. "Trust me they'll be plenty of demons to slay after you have the baby. Speaking of which, thought of any names?" 

Faith raises an eye brow, "I can't just call it Sea Monkey?" Faith laughs at the look on Buffy's face, "Kidding B. But naw I ant thoughta anything like that, just trying to make it through this part." Faith's mind wonders to when the baby is born, and how she'll be slayer plus Mom. She's quiet for a long moment, "Ever thought about kids B?" she asks.

"Sure but I don't know if that'll ever happen. It's not like I've had the best luck with guys, ya know." Buffy said, "Right now I think we're all going to have our hands full with the three babies on the way." 

"You think it's going to be evil? I mean just look what a screw up it's mother is." Faith says before thinking, she doesn't look at Buffy for fear the other slayer will see the weakness she can feel written all over her face. 

"Faith." Buffy began, "Why would you even think that? You're not a screw up you just made some bad choices." 

Faith sighs, "I killed somebody Buffy, not very maternal like. Hell, I don't think there's a person in this house I didn't try and kill. I mean a bad choice is mustered over ketchup, I screwed up big time." Faith pauses, "But I do love this child."

"Of course you do. Faith you're not the person that did all of those things, you've changed a lot, everyone can see it. You're gonna be a great mom. Besides you have us now, it's not like it was before." 

Faith sets there for a second, "You're right, I shouldn't be feeling sorry for myself." she pauses, "Damn hormones." she adds. "Did I tell you Alex called again today?" she says finally.

Buffy smiled. "No you didn't. How is she?"

Faith smiles, "She's ready to kick some watcher ass, he thought he was staying in her apartment. She slammed the door in his face, caught his hand in it. She's threatened him several time, I'm telling ya as far as attitude, I got nothing on that kid." Faith laughs. "Kinda scary huh?"

"Very." Buffy smiled. "I just hope he knows what he's gotten himself into."

Faith laughs, "I'm honestly not so sure he does. She threatened to cut his eyes out and his ears off and send them back to the council, which I can't blame her. Not after all that shit with her parents. I mean that was screwed up." Faith gets another spoonful of ice cream, "She's gonna be great though. She's got the potential, and lets face it with Angel teaching her, well, you know."

"Yeah I know what you mean. Plus I'm not a big fan of the Council myself." Buffy said getting a spoon of ice cream before Faith finished the container. 

"I wanted that bite B!" Faith teases trying to lighten the mood a bit. Her hand moves to her stomach as Sea Monkey gives a big kick, "Slow down in there kid, that's my organ's you're playing with."

"Someone awake?" Buffy asked smiling, "I really think you're gonna have your hands full with that one, it is just one right?"

Faith looks horrified at Buffy, "It damn well better be just one!" She's still rubbing the spot where Sea Monkey is kicking, "It's always awake. I think it's days and nights are premonitory messed up." She sets there a minute, "It's strong too. I mean..." she sighs, "I donno how to explain it B."

"Maybe slayer strong?" Buffy suggested, "I mean is that possible? I thought our powers didn't pass like that but I guess it's not completely unlikely considering everything that's happened."

"I guess not." Faith sighs, "I hope Angel and then figure out this damn prophecy thing soon." Faith gets up throwing the container of ice cream away, "Maybe Spike passed on some of his power." she says thoughtfully, "Heard from him?" _Wouldn't mind staking him_, she thinks silently.

"I'm sure Angel is doing all he can to figure this out and no I haven't seen Spike...not since..." Buffy trailed off.

"Yeah," Faith says biting back a remark. "Willow and Tara seem to think they're gonna be midwives." Faith says, "But I'm not so sure anybody is gonna want to be around me in labor." Faith laughs, "Hell, doesn't seem like anybody wants to be around me pregnant. Xander almost broke his neck trying to get away from me the other day."

"You're not that bad, well except to Xander, what did you throw at him when he ran away." Buffy laughed, "Besides I'm sure Will and Tara would make great midwives." 

Faith bites her lip guiltily, "Your favorite stalleto." she says, "It was the only thing within reach. And I'm not saying Tara and Will wouldn't make great midwives, I'm just not sure how I'll handle labor."

"You've got to stop throwing things at him...especially my things." Buffy said pouting, "I'm sure those two could handle anything. They wouldn't have offered if they didn't think they could do it."

Faith laughs, "You don't expect me to throw MY things at him do ya?" she rolls her eyes, "I'll try and play nice." she says, she sets there a moment, "Hey, Sea Monkey went to sleep." she says smiling at Buffy, "Mind if I head to bed while it's sleeping B?"

"Not at all, but Faith..." Buffy begins.

Faith gets up, hiding a yawn and looking at Buffy, "Yeah B?"

Buffy stumbles a second, "I just ahh, ya know, I'm glad we talked, because talking is important. And ya know, I think things will work out." Buffy says slightly awkwardly. "You rest though, take it easy. I mean don't worry about demons and stuff, I got that covered."

Faith smiles slightly, "Thanks B, you know I got your back." She pauses, "Tell anybody about this and I'll kick your ass."

Buffy laughs slightly, "Who would believe me?" Faith laughs then turns and heads for bed.


	8. Demons and Prophecy's

Faith punches the bag, she's got way to much bottled up energy. She smiles as she hears Eminim's raging voice through the speakers. She's sure nobody can hear it, because she's downstairs in the basement. "Am whoever you say I am. If I wasn't then why would I say I am?" comes through her speakers and she punches the bag again. Was she who they said she was? She could still feel the rage, that ounce had controlled her raging through her. The difference know was that she simply controlled it. The thought occurred her that perhaps the baby felt this rage. She wouldn't be like her own mother. She had told herself this often. She would not allow herself to become her mother. She thinks about Alex and how sure she seems that Faith was a good person. Faith wasn't so sure. Alex hadn't seen the things Faith had done. Visions of the horrible things she had done cross before her face, and she punches the bag harder. Visions of her mother's fist colliding with her face. Tears cloud her vision, she can't even see the bag, and yet she still punches it. Great sobs soon take the ounce rough slayer. Tears of regret, tears of pain, and tears of fear. She falls to her knees holding her stomach as if to protect the child growing safely within. She feels the baby's strength, sometimes she things it's all that holds her together. She feels the movement of her child, the child she never thought she wanted. Faith can't imagine not having it know. It's a long moment before Faith can regather herself. Buffy quietly closes the basement door, before Faith realizes she was there.

Willow pulls up in front of the hotel. Instead of going shopping with just Faith they decided to take her to LA for a couple days and take Alex shopping as well. "I'm never taking a car ride with her again." Willow says looking into the back seat where Faith had finally, she repeats finally fallen asleep. "Come on Faith we're here."

Tara stifles a giggle, "She wasn't that bad."

Faith wakes up, "Good! I gotta piss like a rushin race horse." Faith jumps out of the car.

"She just went twenty minutes ago!" Wilow laughs shaking her head getting out as well. She waits for Tara to join her, before going inside.

Angel looks toward them, "Did Faith just come running in here?"

Willow laughs, "Didn't stop to say hello?"

"No, but she said something about a rushin race horse." Gunn says.

"Yeah, she had to pee." Willow says.

"Okay, not that I don't love ya'll cause you know it's much love and all that gushy stuff, but what the hell are you doing here?" Cordy asks.

"We thought we would bring her down to see you guys." Willow says.

"She's driving Buffy crazy?" Angel asks.

"Yeah," Willow says.

"And Xander." Tara says smiling slightly.

Alex comes downstairs seeing them, "Willow! Tara!" she rushes toward them hugging them, "What's wrong?" she pulls back.

"Nothing, nothing's wrong." Willow says.

"What I don't get any love?" Faith asks from behind her.

Alex turns, "Faith!" She rushes forward to hug her, their stomachs slightly in the way.

"Hey Trouble." Faith laughs, "What kinda hell you're raising?"

Alex laughs, "Not much, don't feel much like causing trouble." Alex stands back resting her hands atop her expanded stomach.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Faith says.

Alex looks toward Tara and Willow who are still standing at the door, "I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure you two don't have to be invited in." she smiles.

Tara smiles, "Tried any spells lately?"

"Well, the baby made a rainbow yesterday." Alex laughs.

"Yeah, that was interesting." Cordy says turning her attention back to her paperwork, "Kids got talent."

"Well, could be worse," Willow says, "could be conjuring demons."

"We got enough of those." Gunn says.

"Really?" Faith says getting slightly excited, "Wanna compare notes?"

"Ever seen a..." Wes is cut off by a look from Angel.

"No comparing notes, you aren't supposed to be fighting." Angel says to Faith, who rolls her eyes.

Noah makes his way down the stairs, "I was looking for you Alexandra."

"Really, I was avoiding you." Alex smirks.

Faith laughs, "So this is watcher dude?" She looks over him, "Hmm, hot stuff."

"Hands off he's damaged goods." Alex says.

"How am I damaged goods?" Noah asks crossing his arms and facing Alex.

Alex steps into his face, so close they are within inches, "Because I said so. Don't mess with a pregnant witch, you may ended up being Mr. Ed." She smirks at him then grabs Faith's arm leading her over to rest of the group. "So what's up?" She asks, leaning against the counter.

"We thought you might like to go shopping." Willow says.

"They're making me go." Faith says.

"Could be fun," Cordy says.

"Then lets go!" Willow says.

Faith groans slightly, "I don't see the rush."

"Well, there's a baby, that's growing side you, and eventually, that baby will have to come out. And when it does, it's gonna need stuff." Willow says.

"Why don't you go on, I mean we could hold things down here." Angel says.

"Yes, I'm sure we could handle it for a couple hours." Wes smiles.

"They're driving you crazy?" Willow raises an eye brow.

"That's not what we said." Angel says.

"It's what he was thinking, come on." Cordy says grabbing her purse and tossing Alex hers.

Willow browses through the racks of baby clothes, but her mind isn't with it. She's watching Tara a little ways away pick up clothes and smile herself thinking nobody notices. A laugh from Alex, who's talking to Faith a little ways over, draws Willow attention. A small chuckle escapes Willow at the sight of the two girls, knowing how alike they are. "So, how's things in Hellmouth land?" Cordy asks from beside her.

Willow turns to see her holding up a pink one piece, "Good, things are really quiet, well until Faith starts throwing things at Xander." Willow says with a smile.

"I heard that." Faith said as she walked past Willow and Cordelia. "I can't help that he always gets in my way when I'm angry."

Willow rolls her eyes to Cordelia, "I'm sure that's it."

Alex laughs, "Well if it helps, Faith, I could go home with you. Angel hid all the sharp pointy things, it would be much more fun." Alex laughs.

Willow turns to Cordelia, "He didn't really have to hid them right? She isn't really that bad?" Willow glances toward Faith and Alex, "Maybe those two together isn't a good idea."

Alex rolls her eyes hearing Willow, "She should really relax," she says stepping beside Tara. "So, how are things?"

"Good, really good." Tara said putting down the creeper she was holding. "So have you guys found anything?"

"About the prophecy? Nope nothing, it's really starting to annoy me, I mean ya know. I wanna know what the heck is going on." Alex says knowing in her heart Tara wasn't talking about the prophecy, but she didn't want to admit that she wasn't happy about all this baby shopping.

"I think she might have been talking about stuff for the baby." Cordy says raising and eye brow at Alex, "You okay?"

Willow makes her way over to the group, as does Faith, "Come on guys pick something out." she says.

"Calm down Red." Faith said as she walked over to Alex, "So what's going on over here and is it just me or are babies wicked expensive."

Alex turns away from Faith fingering an outfit, "Yeah, they are." she says.

Willow frowns, "What's going on Alex?"

Alex shakes her head, putting on a smile and turns back around, "Nothing."

"So, I'm thinking super pink." Cordy says, "I mean I am having a little girl to dress up!" she says moving slightly away from the group.

"That's great!" Willow says smiling.

Alex feels Faith's eyes still resting on her, and doesn't meet them, instead allowing them to follow Cordelia who's picking out everything pink she can find.

Faith takes Alex by the arm and leads her away from Willow and Tara. After they are out of earshot Faith looks at her. "Alright spill it, what's wrong."

Alex still doesn't meet Faith's eyes, "It's nothing okay, something stupid."

"You don't look that way over stupid things." Faith insisted, "It's me Faith, talk to me."

Alex sighs, finally looking at Faith, "First off, I hate that you get me. Second, well... Cordy's been talking for weeks about baby girls names, and things she'll do with her daughter, and I don't even know what I'm having. I mean at least she knows for sure hers is completely human." Alex shakes her head, "See stupid."

"Why would that be stupid?" Faith asked as she crossed her arms, "And just so you know, she's human."

"Because it's just stupid okay? I mean this isn't something that..." Alex stops looking at Faith, "Did you say she? She's human?" Alex's voice is barely above a whisper.

"I had a Slayer dream, I saw Trouble Junior, Sea Monkey and Lil' C." Faith explained.

Alex blinks several times, fighting sudden tears, "She was okay? I mean," Alex looks down, "I mean she was really okay in the dream? They say that a Slayer dream is more like a prophecy." Alex closes her eyes still fighting back tears, looking down so Faith won't see them. Although she has a feeling Faith already knows.

"She was really ok, but she did keep conjuring up birds that shit everywhere." Faith laughed at the thought, "Cheer up and lets go pick out something so Red will shut up. Besides I'm getting hungry."

Alex laughs slightly, "Yeah she's kinda, well demanding huh?"

Willow, who had been talking with Tara sees Alex and Faith coming her way, "So, everything okay?"

"Five by Five." Faith smiled.

"That's good. So I'm thinking we should probably get Cordelia out of here soon. Does she always shop like that?" Tara asked looking at Cordelia piling clothes into her arms.

Alex looks toward her, "Nope, she's usually worse."

Willow laughs, "She's right. If it's one thing Cordelia knows it's shopping."

Alex picks up a little pink teddy bear, "Well, I'm ready when you guys are." She smiles over at Faith, tossing her a teddy bear too, "We're starving."

"Right, we did kinda promise food." Willow smiles.

"Yeah ya did." Faith smiled, "Yo Queen C, we're starving, get a move on." Cordelia walked over to the group arms full of clothes.

"All you found was a bear?" Cordelia asked looking at Alex and Faith.

Alex laughs, "Well Cordy, we still got time. Right know, I just wanna enjoy the ride."

Willow looks at Alex and Faith wondering what they had talked about. "So, what kind of food?" she asks, "And no ice cream doesn't count Faith, you need real food."

"Red that's not fair." Faith grumbled.

"We could always get ice cream too." Tara suggested.

"T, did I mention you're the best?" Faith smiled nudging Tara's shoulder. Tara smiled back. "Alright someone pick somewhere." Faith said as they walked toward the register, nudging Cordelia along.

Willow shakes her head, "We'll meet you guys outside." She takes Tara by the hand.

Alex laughs, "I think Pizza."

"Works for me as long as I get a milkshake." Faith said as she paid for her bear.

Cordy looks over her shoulder, "I've been craving chocolate."

Alex rolls her eyes, "Believe me I know." She looks toward Faith, "She ate the candy I keep stashed. She saw YOU" she points at her glaring, "get into while you were here last time."

Outside Willow turns to Tara, "I think we should do something for them, I mean, I think they need more then a shopping trip."

"What do you think we should do?" Tara asked.

"I'm not sure, but I'm sure Angel's been keeping as close an eye on those two as we have Faith. Maybe a night out would do it. Alex just seems..." Willow sighs, "I don't know."

"I'm sure it has something to do with the prophecy and the possibility her baby could be a demon." Tara said, "But she seems happier now since she had that talk with Faith."

Willow smiles, "Yeah, she does. But I still say we take them out. I mean, we haven't really been out either, keeping an eye on Faith making sure she doesn't do serious damage to Xander and all. We might be able to use a night out." Willow steps closer to Tara.

"I'm not saying you're crazy Alex!" Cordy says coming out of the story.

"That was your exact words Cordy!" Alex turns around facing her, "You're crazy! that was exactly what you said!" Alex puts her hands on her hips.

"Oh well..." Cordy says "Well I didn't mean it literally."

"It sounds like a great idea." Tara said before the rest of the group approached.

"Red next time you suggest shopping I can't guarantee what will happen to you." Faith said only half serious, "Now lets go get some food."

"You know you could help me out here Faith!" Alex says falling in step beside her. "And I agree, no more shopping trips!"

"Oh come off it, ya'll didn't even get into shopping!" Cordy says.

Willow shakes her head, "Enough!" she looks at Tara, "Food is a good idea right?"

Alex rubs her stomach, "Maybe food will put her to sleep." she says mostly to herself.

"Food is a great idea." Tara said looking back at Willow.

"Red would you really want to see what it'd be like if you didn't give us food?" Faith joked, "Besides Sea Monkey is going crazy in here." Faith said as she rubbed the spot the baby kicked the most.

Alex laughs looking over at Faith, "She's happy to be around me is all." she smirks, "Know's I'll spoil her, give her anything she wants."

"Just remember I can spoil Trouble Junior have her saying things she shouldn't." Faith smiled back.

Alex shoots her a dirty look, "No thanks, she'll be trouble enough." Alex sighs, "But I could use you to help me teach her how to fight."

"I don't think we need to think about teaching them to fight just yet," Willow says leading the way into a restaurant. "I mean, I'm thinking it'll be awhile." She sets down in a booth, "No fight talk."

Alex nods, "No more fight talk, sorry Will. Besides, it's seriously upsetting the baby. Or at least something is."

"Yeah I know what you mean." Faith said looking down at her over sized stomach, "She's going crazy in there."

Tara looked around the room, feeling the mood change. "Will, do you feel that?" Tara asked thinking it could just be her.

Willow looks over at Tara, seeing her slightly scared, "Hey, it's okay Baby." Willow sets there a minute, "Maybe we should go."

Alex looks at Tara, "What is it though, I mean what do you feel? Ouch! Ribs, ouch."

Cordy seems to pick up on the feeling, "She hasn't kicked that hard in a while. Since that demon got a little to close to the hotel." Cordy notices that the baby has started kicking, "I don't like this. Something's off, the babies seem to be sensing something."

"Something like what?" Willow asks.

"I'm not sure." Cordy says.

Willow stands up, "Okay, I say we get going. No offense but being stuck with three pregnant girls if something bad is around, well, lets just say it's not the way I planned by day."

Alex nods, "I have to agree we should get going."

"Maybe Fang will know what's going on." Faith suggested. "But somethings off. I feel it."

Alex follows Willow out of the restaurant as everyone else follows them, "Whatever this is can't be good for the babies." She rubs the spot the baby is kicking, "And it's certainly not good for the mothers." She looks behind her at Faith, "You okay?"

"Hello, not worried about me?" Cordy asks moving ahead of them.

"You're not that upset Cordy, I can sense that you're tense, but Faith is upset. She well, she's just..." Alex frowns, "How do I know that?" she looks at Faith.

"Huh?" Faith asked not exactly paying attention to what was going on. She was starting to feel...different.

Alex rolls her eyes, "Nothing, not like anybody would ever listen to me, I'm just the kid among you right?" She pushes past Willow and Tara. Somehow she can feel Faith's mood, or whatever, changing.

Willow frowns, "Nobody said that Alex, slow down!"

"Ok lets just calm down." Tara said.

"Great lets just get home." Faith said feeling the anger and hurt she had felt so long ago building inside, "It's not like you want to be with a murderer anyway right."

"Faith no one said that." Tara said looking to Willow for help who was obviously having trouble with Alex.

Willow catches up with Alex just outside the door of the hotel, "Okay, what the hell, hormones are one thing, but this is...this is something so different!" Willow notices Tara and Faith coming, "Inside know, both of you."

Alex pushes past Willow again, "Like I want to be around her!" Alex nods toward Faith pushing the door open.

Willow watches Faith and Cordy follow, "I think they are feeding off each other's anger."

"They are a lot a like." Tara said worried, "I think we need to tell Angel, he could help right?"

"I never said I wanted to be around you either." Faith yelled from inside the hotel.

"Oh yeah because I'm the bad guy Faith right?" Alex moves into the hotel, "You think I don't see you, you think I'm blind. But I'm not Faith, I see it, I see the fight you put up everyday. You're this close to giving in!" Alex stops a little ways from Faith.

"This can't be good!" Willow says moving inside not seeing Angel and them, "Something's wrong, they seem to be feeding off each other's anger."

"What are you trying to say, Alex?" Faith asked getting closer, almost in her face. "You're really one to talk."

"We should really stop them before they hurt each other." Tara said looking to Willow.

"You think I don't know you get off on the kill, that the adrenaline makes you high?" Alex laughs, "I know you Faith, I can see it in you eyes. All that anger, just bellow the surface."

"Yeah, but how?" Willow looks at Tara, "blocking spell maybe?"

"We need to do something quick." Tara said watching Faith tense. "She's tired of talking."

Alex moves closer to Faith, "You hide it so well, but lets face it, it's still there. You're still the rough Slayer."

Willow nods, "Yeah, so is Alex" She does a blocking spell, causing both Alex and Faith to move back.

Alex looks beyond angry, "See! Even they're scared of what you'll do! Come on Faith, tell me you don't feel it! Hungry and horny right? Right? Isn't that what you said? After a slay you're hungry and horny. You really think that nobody remembers? You've been throwing things at Xander! You're falling apart Faith, I can feel it. I can hear it in your voice." Alex's voice breaks slightly. "I...what...Oh God..."

Willow moves to Alex, "Alex, what's going on? Talk to me!"

"You're just like everyone else I knew. I should've known better to trust anyone. I'm out of here." Faith said venom in her voice.

"Willow take down the barrier!" Alex says, "Faith! Stop! I know you heard the voice! Stop!" Alex runs after her, "Faith, you heard it, I know you did. It wasn't us." Alex looks at Willow, "It was a voice, it was so angry, and it...it made me.. she can't leave like this, it'll take her. It'll take her to that place and she won't come back, help her Willow," Alex is crying she falls to her knees, "Faith!"

"Go to hell." Faith said before walking out the door. As soon as she was outside the tears started to fall. Sure she had heard the voice but maybe it was right. "I need to get out of here." Faith said to herself as she leaned against the side of the building.

Willow starts out the door, but Alex stops her, "No, this is my fault, I'll deal with her." she says moving outside, knowing instinctively where Faith is. "The voice is wrong Faith, you know it is." She says. Faith starts to say something, turning away from Alex, but Alex places a hand on her shoulder, "Faith, listen to me. I know that feeling. The one during the fight, the one that you loseyourself, I get it. It's not just you, and as much attitude as you wanna put on it you're a good person. Sure you have history, but don't we all? You don't know MY history." Alex doesn't try and turn Faith around just leaves her hand on her shoulder, "You can't listen to that voice."

Faith takes a deep breath turning to Alex, "But it's always there. That voice in back of my mind. I wonder what kind of monster I am. I killed a man, I tried to kill the very people who are helping me. I didn't just touch evil, it grew inside me." Faith's eyes look intensely into Alex's "You can't get that kid okay? I hope you never get it. Because it's painful and somedays I can't deal with it. It's like I'm standing on the outside watching in and I can't stop it."

Alex doesn't look away from Faith, "That voice never leaves Faith. You're right, I can't know all of your pain, but I can feel this. It's breaking you. Somehow I can feel that, I don't know if it's these babies or what." Alex pauses, "Or maybe it's my own past. I never killed, Faith, but I came very close. I was on the streets, it's hard. After my parents, I was out of control, I couldn't even control myself. I woke up one night and this guy was standing over me. I thought he was a vamp, but he wasn't. I threw him against the wall, and the next thing I know Gunn's pulling me off him. I ran so I'm not sure what happened, and I didn't ask Gunn. But I lost it Faith, I touched that thing that nobody speaks of. And the things I said to you, I felt that rage again, and it scared me

Faith swallows, "That rage is never gone. You can hide it a million different ways, but scratch the surface and it's always going to be there. What if I lose it with the baby? What if I can't control it?" Faith feels the tears sting her eyes.

"You won't Faith. You can control this. You have to control this. The old Faith, the one that killed, would have taken me out in a heart beat. We all know that. She wouldn't have cared. You stalled, you thought about your actions. Faith, you just have to hold onto this." Alex touches Faith's stomach gently, "Just keep thinking about her, and I promise you'll make it. Keep seeing that dream, hold onto it. And when you can't anymore, that's when I'll be there okay? But together, we'll do this. And these babies will be better for it."

Faith lets her tears fall, "We'll do it together."

Willow moves to the door, looking at Tara, "They're okay. I don't know what happened but they're okay. Alex somehow brought her back from the edge."

"That's good." Tara said, "I was really worried things were going to get really bad. We still don't know what caused this."

Willow pauses, "Alex said something about a voice. Maybe it's something to do with the demon, I mean we know that all three babies are technically from a demon, the same demon. And we know it can possess, maybe that's what happened."

Alex and Faith walk into the hotel, "It wasn't that. It was a voice, building on the rage that's inside us already." Alex says.

"Astral projection maybe?" Tara suggested.

"But how come we couldn't hear it?" Willow asks, "And how come it didn't get Cordy?"

"Because she doesn't have the rage." Alex says, "We new what we were doing, and saying. It just...somehow made it okay to say it."

"Yeah. I don't dig being messed with. So whenever I see that asshole he's so dead." Faith said.

"What if the thing that caused this needed you three to be separated?" Tara said.

Alex nods, "That would make since, if these babies are connected so are we. It explains how I new to focus on Faith. It intends to push us apart." Alex looks at Faith, "But we can't let it, we're stronger together."

Cordy comes up to them, "But why would it do this?"

"Must have something to do with the prophecy, or something. And it's gotta be close to do this kinda thing." Willow says.

"In the room close." Tara said looking around nervously. "That would explain the feeling I had when this all started and why the babies were so upset."

Wes emerges from the office, "We've figured out the prophecy!" he announces.

"Yeah well, know's really not the time to be getting all happy cheerful." Cordy says.

"What's it say Wes, what's gotta happen to kill this thing?" Alex asks urgently.

"Please tell us it can be killed." Willow says.

Wes looks around, "Well, it says basically that the three of you have to kill the demon, before the babies are born or else they turn.." Wes is cut off by Alex.

"Evil." she finishes, "That explains it, three against one, even with us pregnant isn't a fair fight, get armed."

"We're gonna kick some demon ass." Faith said pumped up for the fight.

"But how do we find the demon?" Tara asked.

Wes watching on in horror, "You can't honestly be thinking about fighting in your condition!"

"What the hell are we supposed to do let it take our babies?" Alex says throwing a weapon at Faith, "You ready for this?" she asks.

"Wait, we don't even know where he is!" Willow says, "And Wes is right, you can't fight being pregnant."

Cordy grabs a sward, "I don't think that we're gonna have to go looking." she nods toward the door where the demon is standing.

"You can't fight him like this!" Wes says taking an ax.

Alex tossing a weapon at Willow, "I hate to ask, but if we can't do this..."

Willow nods, "You'll do this though."

"Keep Tara behind you." Alex says, "And Wes out of our way."

Faith charges at the demon. He knocks her down, "Oh you're gonna pay for that one." Again she lunches.

"You'll not kill me slayer!" The demon says.

"Nope," Alex says taking a strike at him, "I'll do that for her." He knocks the sward from her hand, and it moves across the room. She kicks him, and he staggers backward slightly. Faith takes advantage of it and throws him against the wall. He comes back attempting to tackle her but Cordy trips him. The demon gets Alex down, he's about to stab her, when Angel comes in to find them and throws him off her. He tries to face off with him, but Faith steps in the way. Angel's afraid he'll hurt the girls so he steps aside. He realizes this is their battle, but he would much rather do it for them. The demon knocks Faith down and she almost falls on her stomach, Alex looks to make sure she's okay, then punches the demon, "Don't," a kick, "screw," she blocks a punch, and gives him another, "with" she back hands him, "my" she picks up the sward and slashes at him but misses, "friends!" she stabs him through the heart. He falls backwards, landing on his back, she turns to Faith, "You okay?"

Faith and Cordy come to stand beside Alex, "Thanks Trouble." Faith says.

Willow puts down her weapon, wrapping her arms around Tara, "It's okay Baby. It's all over."

Wes comes to stand beside Cordy, "You've done it. You've saved the world."

"How did we save the world, I thought this was about the babies?" Cordy asks looking at him.

"It is, these babies are connected. They're each very powerful on their own, and someday, they'll fulfill a destiny of saving the world." Wes says taking off his glasses.

Cordy, Faith and Alex look at each other, each understanding what the other is thinking. Nobody says anything...


	9. Babies Babies Everywhere

Spike stands just inside the door of the hotel lobby, glancing around. He's not for sure why he's here, but Dawn said Buffy was here, and for some reason he wanted to see Buffy. Plus the fact that they could be in danger hadn't helped. He senses Faith before he can see her, but boy does he get an eye full when he does see her!

Faith looked up to find herself staring into the eyes of Spike. For a brief moment fear filled her body and then she remembered what he had done and the anger returned. "What are you doing here? I'll stake your ass." Faith growled as she approached him.

Spike backs off a little, "Bloody hell woman!" He says looking over her, "Who knocked up you?"

Faith grabbed a near by stake. "You did you undead son of a bitch." Faith lunged at him and he easily deflected the hit. Faith suddenly felt pain fill her back. "Oh shit." Faith exclaimed not able to move and began melting to the floor.

Spike watches her for a second, "Oh bloody hell," he says shaking his head and moving to her side, "A little help here!" he screams putting his arms around Faith, "Just for the record, this doesn't mean I like you or anything." He quickly takes the stake from her, "And somebody better have a damn good explanation."

Angel comes out of his office to find Faith on the floor, Spike's arms wrapped around her, "What the hell? Get away from you her jackass!" He pulls Faith from Spike, setting her on the couch, "Faith are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Angel doesn't realize Buffy has followed him our of the office.

"Bloody hell, are you all crazy?" He says deflecting Buffy's attack. "You've all gone bonkers!"

"I think I'm in labor." Faith said as the pain started to subside a little.

Buffy was throwing blow after blow at Spike. "How could you? Why did you even come back here? I should have done this years ago." Buffy said picking up the stake Spike had thrown to the side.

"I came for you! They said you were in trouble and I came! You want to stake me then fine! Bloody hell woman, please." Spike stops backing off watching Buffy falter.

"Buffy we got bigger problems!" Angel yells, "I'll deal with him in a minute, get Willow!" Angel turns back to Faith offering his hand, "You'll be okay, just ya know don't like pop it out before Willow gets here."

"Fang I don't think it works that way." Faith said gritting her teeth when she felt the pain filter back into her body.

"Yeah well, I'm sure as hell not taking any chances." Angel says glancing at Spike, "You stay put or I'll stake you myself." Angel things, "Better yet, I'll start letting Faith play with sharp objects again."

Buffy returns with Willow, "What's going on?" Willow asks kneeling beside Faith, "How far apart are the contractions?"

"Hell I don't know. It hurts too much to think." Faith said looking at Willow like she was crazy.

"Should we move her?" Buffy asked.

Willow nods, "Yeah, lets get her upstairs. And we need to time the contractions. Think you can walk?"

Angel shakes his head, "I'll carry her."

Spike who's still standing where Buffy left him, "Anybody want to try explaining this to me?" He watches them carry Faith upstairs, "Guess not."

Cordy is pacing back and forward in the office, "I'm telling you Wesley, it's not that kinda thing." She stops, "Angel can't just go out there fighting this."

"I'm sure Angel knows what he's doing." Wes said watching Cordelia pace. "Are you sure you should be walking that much?"

"I'm find Wes, I just don't like the idea... OH SHIT!" Cordy screams and grabs the desk attempting to breath through the pain that is gripping her body.

Wes went to her side. "Are you ok?"

Cordy shakes her had no, waiting for the pain to subside enough she says, "Baby"

"Oh, you're in labor." Wes said trying to remain calm. He grabbed a hold of Cordelia. "Can you walk?"

Cordy feels the pain easy up, "Yeah, I think I can walk." she allows him to lead her out of the office...

Wes saw Spike standing by the door. "What are you doing here?" Wes asked while leading Cordelia toward the stairs.

"Bloody hell is everybody around here pregnant?" Spike asks watching Wes lead Cordelia upstairs, "And I'm here to help with...something" Spike says shrugging.

"Well you're not welcome here." Wes said to Spike, "We need some help here. Cordelia seems to be having the baby." Wes stated loudly.

Tara comes to the top of the stairs, "Cordelia?" she moves to help Wes out, "You'll be okay."

"Holy shit, I think this kids got it a little confused." Cordy says breathing deeply.

"How's that?" Tara asks.

"It was supposed to play nice when it came to labor!" Cordy screams ounce more.

"Just breath." Tara says receiving a glare from Cordy.

"Where are the others?" Wes asked.

"Willow is with Faith, who seems to be in labor too. And I'm not sure about Alex." Tara answers, "We'll put her in the room next to Faith."

They can hear screams from the next room as they settle Cordy in.

Alex watches as Noah attempts to build the crib she had purchased. "I could get Gunn to do that. Hell I could do that."

"Everything is fine. I know what I'm doing." Noah said trying to place two pieces together, "Bloody hell." He exclaimed when he smashed his hand.

Alex chuckles, "Sounds peachy keen there know it all. By the way those pieces don't go together. It goes with that one," she points to a piece laying beside him, "And don't use that language around the baby. She's got enough powers, I don't want her cursing before she can speak."

"I must have misread the numbers." Noah said trading the pieces. "Also I can assure she's learned far more from Faith."

Alex glares, "You still don't like her do you? I mean as if it wasn't obvious when you basically attacked her."

"I don't know what you're talking about. She attacked me. I was having a civilized conversation and she comes at me like a mad woman." Noah stated getting up from the floor.

"Oh yeah she's the mad one! You're the one 'watching'" she uses air quotes, "me, because, I don't even honestly know why. You can't just come in here and do that. I mean after everything I think I got enough people that are watching out for me. I mean hell there's a Vampire, A seer, two slayers, a demon, a watcher, a construction worker two witches," She stops gabbing her stomach as pain moves though it, "Oh No! No! Bad timing kid!" She moans in pain.

Noah ran to her side. "Are you ok?"

Alex pushes him away, "Leave me the hell alone! Jackass!" the pain eases a little, and she closes her eyes, "Shit!"

"If you won't allow me to help you, will you be ok until I fetch someone." Noah asked concerned.

Alex feels the pain leave her body for a second, "I would leave I were you." she says glaring at him.

"Alright then, I don't fancy being cut to pieces." Noah said walking out of the door. "We need some help in here, Alex is in labor." Noah yelled down the halls. He didn't want to venture too far just in case she wanted his help.

Alex paces the room, feeling the anger rise, like the pain in her back. She feels the contraction moving through her. She moans, hearing somebody behind her. "Alex?" Buffy says. "This can't be totally good."

Alex turns looking at Buffy trying to hid the tears of pain, "I'm not ready for this. I think I changed my mind."

"You can do this." Buffy said as she walked over and put an arm around her, "I'll get you to Will and Tara, they'll know what to do. Can you walk?"

Alex moans, "Yeah, I can walk. Oh, just give me a second," Alex's voice is strained. "Ya know, I'm pretty sure Men are bastards."

Buffy smiled a little at Alex's ranting. "Well at least you're gonna get a beautiful baby girl from all of this." Buffy said trying to make Alex feel better about the situation.

Alex recovers, "Yeah but I got a feeling it's gonna be hell getting her here." She takes a deep breath. "Buffy?"

"Yeah?" Buffy asked, looking over at her new friends pained fac**e.**

"Where's Faith?" Alex asks as another contraction starts, "She promised I wouldn't be alone." Alex squeezes Buffy's hand that she's holding onto.

"Well Faith's in the same position you are. Will and Tara are going crazy because all three of you have went into labor at the same time." Buffy explained, "If you want I can stay with you. I know I'm not Faith but I'll be there if you need me." Buffy said leading Alex down the hall.

Alex nods giving a little laugh, "Shoulda known, I felt it coming all day." Alex stops leaning against the wall, trying not to scream for fear of scaring Buffy, "I wouldn't mind if you stayed. Just keep Noah outta my way, OUCH! I kinda got the urge to, shit, kill him." Alex says her voice strained.

"Don't worry if you don't want him near you...trust me he won't be near you." Buffy assured.

Alex nods, "Thanks." She feels the pain intensify, "Could you go get Will or Tara? Or somebody who can do something? OH SHIT!" Alex almost can't stand up.

"Willow, Tara. I need some help out here." Buffy yelled hoping someone would come help.

Alex slowly slides down the wall as Willow comes out, "What's...oh, um, the room next to Faith is open, how far apart are the contractions?"

Alex closes her eyes, "To close for comfort."

"Come on we're almost there." Buffy said helping Alex up. "What do I do Will?"

Willow helps Alex up too looking at Buffy, "Keep her calm, that's about all we can do. Faith's about four centimeters, Cordelia's the same, if I had to guess I would say she's hitting around the same. It'll be hours before the babies are born, but we can't leave them alone. Tara's with Faith, she seems to be able to keep her calm, Angel is with Cordelia, and I'm all over the place. Maybe Noah could set with her?" Willow looks very overwhelmed.

"No she doesn't want him around." Buffy said, "I'll stay with her."

Willow nods, "Okay, we'll get her in a gown and I'll check just to be sure but... If all these babies are born at the same time...there's just me and Tara..." Willow says.

"Willow!" Alex says as they enter the room, "You can do this okay? Don't freak, OH, you're the two that can keep us all sane." She sets down on the bed. "Just remember, no freaking out Will. This scarry enough."

Willow looks at Buffy, "No, no freaking out. You're gonna be fine. Right Buffy?"

"Absolutely." Buffy said looking at Willow. "So how are the others?"

Willow helps Alex get into the gown, "Well, Faith tried to strangle Xander when he came to see how she was doing. Particularly painful contraction, and Cordelia's doing pretty good, she won't let Angel go, but as long as he can keep her calm then we're okay. So, Spike still downstairs?" Willow asks.

"Spike as is the one that raped Faith? OH HELL NO! I'm gonna stake, okay maybe I'll wait for this contraction..." Alex breathes deeply. "And for the record, breathing doesn't work!"

"You stay calm, you don't need to worry about anything but the breathing. I'll do it with you." Buffy said doing it along with Alex.

"You can't let him see her though, I mean you can't let him hurt her anymore." Alex begs, "Please." Alex closes her eyes as Willow does the exam, "OUCH! Damn that hurts Will!"

"Sorry, it's the only way to know Alex. I'm done okay?" Willow says, "And Spikes not coming anywhere near Faith, she tried to stake him."

"Don't worry about anything. No one's gonna let anyone hurt Faith." Buffy assured, "Right Will?"

"Right," Willow says, "Nobody is gonna let anybody hurt any of you." Willow motions for Buffy to move a little ways away.

Buffy steps back and looks at Willow. "What are you going to do?" Buffy asked.

Willow sighs, "I'm not sure, but if these babies are born at the same time...I mean there's only two of us Buffy. We can't deliver three babies at ounce." Willow watches as Alex curls up in pain, "And we already know that Alex's baby can conjure, and Faith's is super strong, and we don't know much about Cordelia's. It's not like we can call in another midwife." Willow rings her hands, "This could be bad Buffy."

"Well isn't there someone else that knows something about childbirth?" Buffy asked, "What exactly do you need to know?"

Willow thinks, "Well there's Wesley, he might know something. But if Alex doesn't want Noah around her...I'm guessing she isn't so fond of men right about know?" Willow looks skeptically at Buffy.

"Well maybe I could help." Buffy suggested, "It can't be that hard right?"

Willow smiles, "Sure, you can help I'm sure. Right know lets just get them through labor. Try rubbing her back, it may help." Willow looks toward Alex, when there's a crash next door, "That doesn't sound good. I gotta get back to Tara, I'll be back though." she says heading for the other room.

"I guess it's just us then." Buffy said trying to lighten the mood. "Do you need anything?"

Alex tries to smile at Buffy a little, "Just talk. Just keep talking." tears fall down Alex's face.

Willow walks into the room next door, "I heard a crash," she says seeing Xander standing just inside the door, a cut on his head, "What are you doing in here?"

Xander looks at Willow, "She threw a glass at me...again! Angel asked me to stand watch with big scary soulful Spike downstairs, and apparently not leaving either."

Willow rolls her eyes, "Perhaps you should stand watch outside." She looks at Tara, "How's things going?"

"Faith's doing really well, that is until Xander walked in." Tara explained.

"What can I say he brings out the best in me." Faith gritted out as pain filled her body again, "Shouldn't this be about over? I mean is this kid going to get here tonight?"

Willow smiles, "Should be here tonight. But it could take a while, you're only four the last time I checked. But ounce you reach five it really goes fast. Or at least they say it does." Willow looks worriedly at Tara, "Could I steal Tara for a sec?"

"Sure why not. Just don't leave him in here." Faith said shooting a glare at Xander.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't stay if they paid me." Xander replied as he walked out rubbing some blood from his head.

"I'll be right back. If you need anything I'll be right outside." Tara said walking over to Willow.

Willow laughs a little at Xander, but turns serious ounce the door is pulled slightly behind Tara, "Um, Alex is in labor." she says not really know what to say

"I felt something like this would happen." Tara said, "How are we going to be three different places?"

"Buffy says she can help, but I'm not sure. I mean if something goes wrong what will we do?" Willow rubs her temple, "I almost wish I could magically clone myself, or better yet you. You're the calm one. Have I told you that I love that you're so calm?" Willow smiles slightly at Tara.

Tara gave Willow her famous half smile. "You're doing great. It would probably have been easier if we had just put them all together." Tara grabbed Willow's hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

Willow relaxes, "Alex is scared, she's been asking for Faith. Cordelia is calm as long as Angel is close by, and you're going great with Faith. We're gonna have babies!" Willow smiles brightly, "Can you believe it's already time? I mean it's like, time just flew by. I can't believe we survived it all!"

"I know. It seems like only yesterday I was walking with Faith to the drug store." Tara smiled, "Faith really wasn't that bad. Ok so maybe she was with Xander."

Willow laughs, "Yeah, she was okay, unless Xander was around." Willow pauses taking Tara's hand in her own and running a finger along the back of it, "We're okay too, right? I mean..."

"Of course we are. Why wouldn't we be?" Tara asked as she looked into Willow's eyes. "Is everything ok?"

Willow nods, "It's fine, just a bit overwhelmed, and well you know with all the babies I thought maybe..." Willow blushes slightly, "Not important."

"You wouldn't have brought it up if it wasn't important." Tara said as she held Willow's hands in hers.

"I'm just wondering if you're regretting your choice. I mean, your in danger so often, and then everybody having babies..." Willow sighs.

"Sweetie it doesn't matter as long as I'm with you. I'm under your spell remember." Tara smiled, "Are you saying you want a..." Tara's sentence was cut off when suddenly there's a scream from Alex's room, and Buffy comes running out.

"What's going on?" Willow says rushing into the room.

"Something wrong Will, I don't know!" Alex says. Willow looks over at Tara and sees her fear mirrored.

Alex's moans draw Willow from her fear, "Get the monitor Tara, please." she says moving to Alex's side, "What's going on?"

"I don't know, it just suddenly got a lot worse, and it feels like something not right, I'm scared Will, I'm so scared." Alex says tears falling down her face

"Shhh, you're gonna be alright, we're gonna take care of you." Willow says, attempting to comfort Alex.

"Here sweetie." Tara said giving the monitor to Willow. "Buffy maybe you should go make sure Faith's ok."

"Ok...Alex I'll be right back I promise." Buffy said squeezing Alex's hand before walking toward the door.

Willow puts the monitor on Alex's stomach, as Tara takes her hand, a strong heart beat feels the room and everybody lets out a sigh, "The heart beat is good." Willow says, "I'm gonna check you again okay?"

Alex moans, "Whatever just fix it!" Alex says holding onto Tara's hand. "How's Faith and Cordy?" she asks through the pain.

"They're doing fine. Faith got a little upset when Xander walked in but she's fine now." Tara explained trying to keep Alex's attention occupied. "So have you thought of any names yet?"

Alex laughs through the pain, "I haven't thought about what the hell I'm gonna do with this kid, I just bought the crib last week." She closes her eyes against the pain, "Faith said ya'll done all her shopping. But I'm thinking she was a little more involved then she's letting on." There's another pause, "I'm surprised she's not injured Xander." She moans again, "You're killing me Will!"

Willow looks up at Tara, "I'm sorry Alex, the babies head is a little lop sided so to speak, I'm trying to turn it. You're at about seven centimeter which means it won't be long know. Just keep talking to Tara okay?"

"Well Faith swore me to secrecy." Tara said, thinking of something to say to take her mind off of what Willow was doing. "Do you need me to get you anything?"

"Not unless it's a boat load of pain meds," Alex tries to laugh, seeing Tara's worried look. Alex closes her eyes ounce more gathering strength, "So tell me, what's new? OH!" Alex bites her lip in an attempt not to scream out again. "Is Angel with Cordy?"

"Yes. Cordelia won't let him leave her sight, not that he would." Tara said as Buffy runs into the room. "Guys I think Faith's having the baby what do I do?" Buffy asked panicked.

"Oh hell no! Tell her she's not allowed, she can't go first!" Alex yells. She closes her eyes, "Go Tara, I'll be okay. Tell her she better get ready for beating ounce this over though." Alex smiles slightly, "Then tell her to hang in there."

"Go Tara, Buffy I need you to keep Alex calm" Willow says, "This baby isn't moving the way I need it to. It's hard headed like it's mother."

"No, Buffy," Alex moans in pain, "Go be with Faith, I'll be fine."

"But..." Buffy looks from Alex to Willow.

"GO!" Alex yells.

"Tell Fred to come in here." Willow says still trying to move the baby.

Buffy leaves telling Fred to go set with Alex. Tara follows Buffy into Faith's room, where Faith is moaning in pain, "You're gonna be okay Faith," she says moving to check Faith. "Well, you've got just a little cervix left, but I think the baby's high enough you can start pushing."

"It's about damn time." Faith said as she gritted her teeth from the pain.

"That's it, there ya go Faith. Okay stop, stop Faith, breath through the rest. You're very good at pushing." Tara smiles up at her sweaty face..

"Can you see the head or anything yet?" Buffy asked looking down at Tara. Faith continued to breath before another contraction hit. She started to push again.

Tara moves Faith's legs, "I can see the head, it's right there. Looks like we'll have a baby really soon Faith. You're doing great!"

"Thanks T." Faith said between breaths.

"She's so close Faith, know when the head starts you're gonna feel some burning, but you gotta just keep pushing through it. Buffy, hold back Faith's leg please." Tara says, "Are you feeling another contraction?"

"I just want this kid out." Faith said.

"Oh wow you can see the head." Buffy said as she glanced down.

"Well I'm glad everyone can see." Faith said sarcasm dripping from her words.

Tara smiles, "Another couple pushes and you'll be able to see her. Come on focus Faith, push."

"I am pushing, this kid is just stubborn." Faith said as she rested.

"Well look who her mother is." Buffy smiled and Faith shot her a look.

"Don't start with me B."

Tara laughs, "Um, shouldn't we be worried about the baby, who's head is almost here? She's seriously so close Faith, just one big push and the head will be here." Tara looks up at Faith's strained face, "It's almost over I promise." Tara watches as Faith puts her energy back into pushing, "Okay, there ya go!" She watches as the baby's head emerges, "Okay slow down, not so hard...there ya go, okay stop so I can suction, she's beautiful Faith." Tara looks up at Buffy, who seems mesmerized by the baby's head, "black curls like her mom."

"Wow" Buffy said looked down at this baby as Faith finished pushing her out. The baby began to scream and Buffy couldn't help but let a few tears slip down her cheeks. She looked over at Faith, "She's so beautiful Faith."

"Of course she is B. She is my kid after all." Faith said smiling as she too had tears of joy sliding down her cheeks even if she didn't mean to.

Tara holds back her own tears as she wraps the baby in a blanket handing her to Faith, "She's perfect. Say hello to Mommy." Tara smiles up at Faith, glancing at Buffy to see her frantically wiping tears.

"Hey Sea Monkey, 'bout time I get to see who's been doing all that kickin'." Faith said brushing a finger over the babies cheek.

"So what are you going to name her?" Buffy asked mesmerized by the baby.

Tara, who was still working on Faith, glances up and smiles at the mother and child.

"Addison. Addison Hope Lehane." Faith replied looking over at Buffy, "You want to hold her?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Buffy smiled carefully taking the baby from Faith's arms.

"I feel like I could sleep for a week." Faith said yawning. "How's Alex and Cordy doing? Does anyone know?"

Tara, who's finally finished, gets up from the bed. "Well," she pulls the covers back over Faith, "Cordy was doing great last time I checked." she says cautiously. "I'll need to look the baby over better in a few minutes. But right she's fine to just stay with you. And it's a beautiful name, fits her perfectly." Tara smiles down at the baby in Buffy's arms.

"You want to hold her?" Buffy asked Tara.

Tara smiles, "Do you really have to ask?" she says taking the baby, "Maybe you could check in on Alex since she was..." Tara pauses glancing at Faith, "See how she's doing..."

Faith caught Tara's slip up. "Since she was what? What's going on?" Faith asked worried.

"It's nothing, I'm sure she's fine. But that babies head was turned a little, which can make it even more painful to deliver. Willow is trying to get the baby into the right position. I'm sure she's done it by know, though. Alex insisted that Buffy come back with you, so Fred's in there with her. Willow knows what she's doing." Tara reassures Faith, "Here, Addison needs her Mommy." hoping to appease some of Faith's fears by handing the baby back.

"Make sure she's ok T." Faith said holding Addison close, "We'll be ok, but make sure someone tells me what's going on. You don't want me getting out of this bed."

Tara looks at Faith's worried face, "I'll be right back. Don't move." She moves to the door, "And Faith..."

"Yeah T?"

"We told you that you would be a good Mom." Tara smiles before leaving Faith and Addison alone to go check on Alex next door. She knocks opening the door. "How's things?"

Willow looks toward the door, "Hey, how's Faith?" She asks holding onto Alex's hand as she bites her bottom lip in pain.

"Good, really good. She just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl." Tara smiled, "How's Alex?"

Willow looks at Alex's strained face, "She's close, and the baby finally turned. But she's still in a lot of pain."

Alex moans, "Damn it! I can't do this Will, I changed my mind, I take it back!" She feels the contraction peak, then slowly descend, "Tell Faith, I'm fine. Don't tell her anything was wrong. Tell her I can't wait to meet the baby. What's the name?" Alex looks at Tara.

"Addison Hope." Tara replied, worry evident on her face.

Willow smiles slightly, "That's beautiful."

Alex screams, but stops seeing Tara's worried face. "I'm dealing Tara. OHHH, Don't look so scared, it scares me." Tears run down Alex's face.

Willow sighs, "She's been going from screaming to crying. She's asked be to just take the baby out. But she's really close." Willow smooths Alex's red hair off her sweaty forehead, "I need to check on Cordelia, but I'm afraid to leave Alex for very long. And I wouldn't mind popping in and seeing the latest Lehane either."

"I'll stay here." Tara said, "Just make sure you see Faith first. She said if we didn't keep her updated she'd come looking for us."

Willow laughs, "Okay, I'll do that. Are you sure you don't mind setting here?" Willow gets up moving to Tara's side, "She's been asking me to make sure the baby is okay. I know it's the pain talking, but still... I hate seeing her like this." Willow sends one last look toward Alex's pained face before leaving.

Willow knocks on Cordy's door, opening it slightly "How's things going in here?" she asks.

Cordy, who's setting up in bed, looks at her, "I'm okay as long as I'm not in excruciating pain." she says.

Angel moves Cordy's hair out of her face, "You're doing great through, I mean I guess." He looks at Willow, "How much longer will this take?"

Willow smiles, "Shouldn't be long, I'm gonna check you okay?"

Cordy grabs Angel's hand, "OH Shit!" She breaths through the contraction, "I sure hope it's almost over."

"So how much longer?" Angel asked after Willow had finished with the checking.

Willow smiles, "How about we start pushing and find out?"

"Pushing?" Cordy asks, "As in pushing this kid out? As in it's almost over?"

"Yup, just wait for the next contraction and push." Willow smiles brightly at her.

Angel paled at the thought of child birth. "So how are the others?" Angel asked trying to get his thoughts off what exactly was going on down there.

Willow laughs at Angels expression, "Well, Faith gave birth to a baby girl, she's beautiful, looks like her mother. And Alex is" there's a small pause that Willow hadn't intended "hanging in there." she says. "You're doing great Cordelia," Willow says seeing the babies head. "She'll be here in no time."

Cordelia groans in pain and concentration, "She better be."

Angel looked at Willow. "Is something wrong with Alex?" Angel asked while holding on to Cordelia's hand.

Willow focus on what she's doing, knowing the vampire can tell something's wrong, "The head is almost here Cordelia." Willow watches as the baby's head emerges, "You're going great, the head is out!" She gently guilds the baby out.

Cordelia falls back against the pillows, "Is she okay?" she asks out of breath. A sudden cry answers her question.

"She's perfect," Willow wraps her in a blanket, and hands her to Cordelia.

"She's so tiny," Cordelia says quietly tears falling down her face, she looks over at Angel, "I did it."

"I knew you could." Angel said with a smile. He looked at the small baby. "She's beautiful, just like her mom."

Cordelia looks up at the Vampire beside her and smiles as she sees the mist in his eyes, "I'm glad you were here Angel." she says softly, "You wanna hold her?"

Angel looked at Cordelia and then to the baby. After a moment of hesitation he answered, "Sure."

Cordelia gently lays the baby in Angel's arms, marveling at how the tiny infant seems to fit perfectly, "I think she likes you."

Willow, who's just finished up with Cordelia, watches Angel's expression as he holds the tiny infant. For a big scary vampire he looks so soft and gentle. "She got a name?" Willow asks.

Cordelia reluctantly moves her eyes from Angel to Willow, "Cassandra Lynn Chase."

Willow smiles, "It's perfect."

"We can call her Casey right?" Angel asked looking up at Cordelia.

Cordelia laughs, "Yeah we can call her Cassey."

Willow sighs, "I hate to, but I'm afraid I really need to get back to Alex."

Cordelia smiles, "It's fine, we're fine." she pauses, "Alex is okay right?"

"Is something wrong with the baby?" Angel asked worried.

Willow sighs, "No, the baby was turned wrong, and I had to manually turn it, which believe me is as painful as it sounds. And when I left she was...well, she in a lot of pain."

"Oh God, why didn't you tell us?" Cordelia asks.

"You were kinda in the middle of giving birth." Willow laughs a little.

"Who's with her now?" Angel asked a worried expression on his face. "Is there anything you can do to help her?" Angel's protective side was coming out.

"Tara's with her. I can't do anything about the pain, it's just gotta happen. Ounce the baby's born it should go away. And so far she's really hanging in there." Willow says looking at Angel's worried face she tries to smile, "She'll be fine Angel, Alex is stronger then anybody thinks. I think all three of them are, just look at what they've done today." Willow motions to the baby still cradled within Angel's strong arms.

"That doesn't mean I still don't worry." Angel replied, "When you find out anything let us know."

Willow smiles, "I will. I'll be back as soon as I know something." Willow says heading for the door.

Willow knocks on Alex's door, hearing a commotion within. "I can't do it Tara!" Alex yells, "I can't!"

"Sweetie you can do this." Tara said, "I know you're in a lot of pain but trust me the reward will be great."

Willow makes her way over to Alex and Tara, "Alex, listen to me." Alex looks up with tears in her eyes, "You want the pain to stop?"

"Yes! Make it stop! I don't want to Will!" Alex cries.

"Then you gotta push. That's the only way to make it stop." Willow says, looking down at Tara, "How close is she?"

"I'm starting to see the head." Tara answered.

Willow smiles, "Did you hear that, she can see the head."

Alex screams, but pushes down hard. "Get this damn thing outta me!"

"Ok rest." Tara said, "Two more strong pushes and we'll have a baby."

Alex groans, "Yeah I'm sure WE will." the rests against the pillow.

"I'm sure you'll share her with the rest of us." Willow smiles.

"I just want this over, then you can play Auntie Willow and Auntie Tara all you want." Alex says.

"Auntie Willow?" Willow asks, looking at Tara smiling.

Another contraction hits and Alex bares down ounce more.

Tara smiled back at Willow. "Ok you're doing great." Tara said as Alex stopped to rest again. "One more, you can do it."

Alex takes a deep breath, "I'm glad the two of you think I can, cause I'm not so sure myself."

Willow looks down at her, "We know you can, just one more push." She watches as Alex pushes down, looking down in time to see the baby emerge, "We told you, you could do it."

The infants screams fill the air. Tara wrapped the baby in a blanket after cutting the cord. "Here you go." Tara said tears in her eyes, as she handed the baby to its mother.

Alex looks down at the tiny infant, "My God she's beautiful." she says tears running down her face, "Welcome to the world Jaden Elizabeth." She looks up to smiles at Willow then down at Tara, "Hard to believe something so perfect exists."

Willow nods tears in her eyes, "She's beautiful." Willow wipes her eyes, "I guess somebody should tell the ones waiting downstairs."

Alex nods, "How's Faith and Cordy?"

"Good, worried about you, but good." Willow smiles gently, "I'll be back okay?" Alex nods, and Willow turns to leave. She makes her way downstairs, finding Gunn standing guard over Spike who seems not to have left, Wes, Noah and Fred pacing, and Xander looking rather huffy about Spike still being there. All eyes turn to her when she descends the staircase, "We have three beautiful healthy baby girls. And all three Mom's are fine."

A cheer and shout of excitement goes up among them "When can we see them?" Fred asks.

"Well, I'm sure Faith and Cordy would love to see you, but give Alex a few more minutes, the baby's just born." Willow answer.

"But she's okay?" Noah asks, "I mean there was screaming and...well..."

Willow smiles, "She's fine. Child birth is painful."

"Yes, I Suppose it would be." Wes says, "But I new our girls could do it."

"Who's gonna watch him?" Gunn motions toward Spike.

"I say we stake him and let it be." Xander says.

"No!" Willow says, "Just leave him, he'll be fine, he's already chained to the couch."

"I bloody well better be able to see my baby!" Spike says having been enlightened by Fred earlier.

"We'll see." says Willow.

Alex slips out of bed picking up the infant in the cradle beside her. Everything is quiet and Willow and Tara are napping, but she just can't stay in bed any longer. She makes her way out of her room and into the hall. She knocks softly on Faith's door, waiting for an answer before going inside.

"Yeah." Faith said looking up from Addison.

Alex opens the door peaking around, carefully holding Jaden, "Think you got room for two more girls that can't sleep?" she asks softly.

"Trouble, hey" Faith said, "Get your ass in here." Faith smiled when she saw Alex's baby. Faith made room on the bed for the two of them."How are youfeelin'?"

"Like I just pushed a eight pound bowling ball..." Alex laughs, "I'm sure you know the feeling." Alex eases herself down on the bed with Jaden, "Jaden," she strokes the baby's cheek gently, "meet Auntie Faith, and baby Addison." Alex looks toward Addison, "She's beautiful Faith. Hard to believe something so beautiful could ever exist huh?" Alex lays her head back on the pillow looking tired.

"Yeah. She was worth all the pain but I don't think I'll be doing that again any time soon." Faith smiled. "It's hard to believe this is real ya know."

Alex nods, looking ounce more down at the tiny infants, "All the worry and none of seems important at the moment." She hears her own voice crack and wills it to stop. "So how long before I get to hold Addison? You gonna wait till she's half grown or hand her over?" Alex smirks.

"I guess we can trade." Faith smiled. "Come here Jaden. Aunt Faith's gonna spoil you." Faith said rubbing the babies cheek.

Alex laughs taking Addison from Faith, "Let me tell you something little one, you're gonna hear lots of things, but no matter what, Auntie Alex is the best Auntie okay?" Addison opens her eyes to look up at Alex, "She's got your eyes. You can almost read those eyes." Alex looks up to see tears in Faith's eyes, "You okay?" she asks gently.

"Yeah." Faith replied, "Lots to think about ya know."

Alex looks ounce more down at the tiny infants, "Believe me I know." She pauses, "But hey, we made it this far, right? Whatever happens next we'll face it together." She hands Addison back to Faith and takes Jaden, "So, you hungry? I'm sure Angel's stalking around downstairs, he could bring ice cream." She smiles at Faith, "Or we could just enjoy this."

"I feel like I could sleep for a week but I know Sea Monkey's not gonna have that." Faith said playing with Addison's hands. "But if you want ice cream we can get some."

Alex shakes her head, "No, I could sleep for a week too," Jaden gives a little cry, "SHH, you're okay," Alex leans back with Jaden on her chest, "I'm pretty sure sleeping to much is not gonna be a problem." Alex closes her eyes, "Faith?"

"Yeah"

Alex smiles, "Congratulations, you're a mom."

"So are you." Faith said yawning, "I've done set the ground rules for Addison."

Alex laughs, "Oh yeah?" Alex yawns too. "I'm sure they went over smoothly."

"Yeah, she didn't argue." Faith smiled.

Alex laughs, "Good." she sets there a minute, "I'm really glad you're okay. And I'm really proud of you." Alex closes her eyes, suddenly sleep doesn't seem so far away, know that she knows Faith is okay.

"I'm glad you're ok too. You scared the hell out of me." Faith said barely able to keep her eyes open.

Alex moves down in the bed, Jaden still resting on her chest, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. No one would tell me what was really going on."

Alex nods, "It hurt so bad." she says before finally sucoming to sleep.

Faith looks over toward Alex, then down at the sleeping child in her arms, "I love you Sea Monkey." she says before closing her own eyes.


	10. Faith's Hope

Angel slips into Alex's room, she's sleeping. Willow had woken her from Faith's room and insisted she and the baby return to their room. He glances at the baby in the cradle beside the bed, Jaden has her mother's red hair, and bright green eyes. He smiles down seeing that the baby, who should be sleeping peacefully like her mother is wide awake, "Don't wanna miss a thing do ya?" Angel strokes the baby's cheek. "You wanna see the whole world huh? I'm not gonna be able to show you much, but I'll show you what I can okay?" Jaden kicks her legs taking his finger. "You're a strong little girl."

"Keep it up and I'll think you're going soft on me." Alex says smiling at him.

"Hey, I thought you were sleeping." Angel looks over pulling back.

"Somebody was talking to my baby." Alex smirks setting up. She's still sore and it hurts a little.

"You okay?" Angel moves beside her.

"Yeah just sore. Apparently it's not easy having a baby." Alex laughs.

"So they say." Angel sets down, "How are you?"

"Tired, but happy." Alex says, "How about you?"

"Hey, I'm not the one who just had a baby," Angel laughs.

"How about Cordy?" Alex asks.

"She's good." Angel says. He sets there for a minute, "Have I told you that I'm proud of you?"

Alex looks at Angel, "I'm sure you have."

"Well did I tell you that, she's beautiful?" Angel asks.

"I kinda new that one Bro." Alex smirks.

"I'm trying for a moment here." Angel laughs.

"I get it Angel." Alex says, "You don't have to say it."

"But I want to. And I want you to know that I won't let anything happen to you or Jaden." Angel says.

Alex takes Angel's hand, "I know you wouldn't." She says softly, "And for the record, there's a lot of things you can teach her. She's incredibly lucky."

"She's got a great Mom." Angel says, "And you're so totally grounded kid."

Alex laughs shaking her head, "Why am I grounded know?"

"You scared the hell out of all of us." Angel says.

"So Faith told me." Alex looks down at her hands on her lap. "I was so scared. If it hadn't been for Will and Tara, I'm not sure what would have happened."

"But she's here and she's perfect, and you're good too." Angel moves a piece of hair out of Alex's face, remembering the broken teenager who had showed up on his doorstep only months before. He pulled something out of his pocket, "I found this in you Mom's stuff. I wanted to give you something that meant something to you, and so I saved it out." He hands the locket to Alex.

Alex takes it and fingers it, "It's the locket my mother wore all the time, I thought the demon had taken it." She wipes tears from her eyes, "I wish she were here." She looks up at Angel, "But for the record, I'm really glad you guys are here."

Angel nods, as the baby starts crying. "I'll get her." he says turning and lifting the child, "You're okay Jaden." he says softly rocking.

Alex watches as Angel gently rocks Jaden, he seems so mesmerized by the baby. Softly talking to her, with words Alex can't quiet make out. Her eyes feel heavy again, and the last thing she sees before they close is Angel rocking Jaden gently, telling her the secrets of his world...

Buffy finally got Faith to agree to allow Spike to see Addison, so she made her way down to the office with the baby. "Ten minutes, that's it." Buffy says.

Spike looks down at the tiny pink bundle cradled in Buffy's arms, "Tiny isn't she?" he says softly.

"Yeah, she's tiny." Buffy agrees watching Spike. "Wanna hold her?"

"No," Spike backs up, "I'll break her for sure."

"You won't break her, just watch her head." Buffy says handing Addison over to Spike.

Spike feels the baby in his arms, "Well then." he says blinking back sudden tears and turning his back om Buffy. He surveys the tiny being in his arms. She has her mother's soft curly black hair, and her deep hazel eyes. But she has his mouth, and noise. She's beautiful, but Spike felt no need to share that observation with Buffy at the moment. His mind was to full of everything that was going on. He could remember what he done, and it pained him to think of it. But just look at what had come of it. This beautiful little being wrapped in this pink blanket. She whimpers slightly and instinctively he rocks her gently. The ten minutes are passed way to quickly, just looking into the eyes of this tiny being. Spike felt the pride swell inside him, but again felt no need to share it. He vowed secretly that nothing would ever hurt this beautiful baby. Faith's baby...His baby...His daughter...His beautiful daughter. The one he reluctantly handed back to Buffy...

Buffy sets down next to the bed, handing Addison back to Faith. There's a long silence in which neither girl spoke. "You should be resting." Buffy finally says.

"Sea Monkey here has other ideas." Faith says looking down at the infant.

Buffy looks down at her hands, thinking how best to put what she wants to say. "You know as Slayers we see a lot of stuff. I mean demons, death, anger, fighting, it all just kinda goes with the territory. But I don't think I've ever seen anything like I seen today."

"Come on B, I wasn't that bad was I?" Faith chuckles softly causing Addison to stir in her sleep.

"That's not...I mean..." Buffy sighs, "You aren't going to make this easy on me are you?" Faith looks up at Buffy, "I'm trying to say that, I saw a musicale today. I mean, I've seen everything but birth, and well, aside from the blood and guts and stuff, it was something..."

"Magical?" Faith supplies.

"Exactly, and I'm really proud of the way you're handling this. I mean I was a total freak out trying to keep myself calm, and I wasn't even the one having the kid." Buffy says.

"You seemed to have it together to me." Faith says.

Buffy bites her lip, "She couldn't ask for a better mother. She's beautiful Faith. And, although the prospects of what she will do slightly scare me, I can't wait." Buffy swallows hard, there was a time when she would never have imagined this. There was a time when her anger at the girl, cuddling the tiny infant, had been an enemy. "Faith, I'm trying to say I'm proud of you. I'm proud of the person you've become. I would trust my life with you, or better yet, I would trust Dawn's life to you. Addison is a lucky baby, because I know how much you love her. I just...I feel more like your my sister then just another Slayer, and the past is in the past."

Faith blinks back the tears, "Thanks Buffy. I wanted to ask you something, would you be Addison's Godmother? I trust you to take care of her if..." Faith's voice fads off.

Buffy nods, unable to speak. There's nothing more to say, they've said it all.

Buffy left about a week after the babies were born, to return and protect the Hellmouth, taking Xander with her. Willow and Tara however stayed for another five weeks. Mostly because Alex had insisted. Finally the day came for them to pack themselves, Faith and Addison in the car and head back to Sunnydale.

"Faith, we have to go." Willow says.

"I know Red, just give me a second." Faith turns around to shoot her a look before turning back to Alex. "You remember that I'll be up for three am feeding too, call if you need anything."

Alex laughs gently, "Faith, you're not MY mother. Know let me see Addy before you go."

Faith sighs handing Addison over to Alex and turning her attention to Cordelia, "You know you can call too."

"Right, I'll do that." Cordelia says, smiling. Faith takes Cassey, gently rocking her.

Finally, Addy is passed to Willow who puts her into her car seat. Faith takes Jaden, saying goodbye to the child. Slowly all the others trickle out, Noah with Jaden and Angel with Cassey. Cordelia hugs Faith, and they say a quick goodbye. Then only Faith and Alex are left in the lobby. "So we made it kid." Faith says.

"Yeah, I guess so. But it's not like we're saying goodbye, I mean...we're not saying goodbye right?" Alex looks questioningly at Faith.

"Course not, gotta have somebody to cause trouble with." Faith smirks, but turns serious, "This is just the way things go. We'll see each other all the time, and talk all the time on the phone. Send lots of picture and all that junk new mom's are supposed to do."

Alex laughs, "Of course we will." Alex hugs Faith, "I just want you to know I'm here for you and for Addy, whatever you need."

"Same here Trouble." Faith says into her ear. "I guess I should be going, don't really do the goodbye thing to well."

Alex nods, following her to the door. Faith promised herself she wouldn't look back. But just as she climbs in the car, she looks back to see Alex wiping silent tears away. Faith's heart breaks, she knows that there will always be a connection, but it had been safe here. Faith, Alex, and Cordy had formed a bond, one that only mother's understood. Mother's, the word replayed it's self in her mind over and over again. Faith was sure it hadn't set in, that the tiny being in the car seat beside her, was truly, honestly hers. Addison was perhaps the best part of herself, come to life. A part she never really expected. If Addison was anything, she was Faith's saving grace. Her hope for a better tomorrow. Yes, that's what Addison Hope Lehane was, she was her mother's hope for a better tomorrow.


	11. Dear Readers

Readers,

Readers,

Unfortuately our fic has met it's end. Sabra and I would like very much to thank all of our readers. It is, however, with great joy that we tell you another fic has been started. I will speak for myself, however I am sure Sabra feels it as well, I am very proud of this fic. It has brought me a very wonderful friend. There will eventually be a sequal, however I assure you it will be a while. I set here today, proud of the work I've put out there, and I know that Sabra has much do with that. However, through our co-writing we've found a comrodery that I've seldom found with anybody.

I would like to take today to think those who replied thus far. WellXWisher, t, Tryit, audiodream, kool-aidrocks2008, and XPrincessX93. It has been those reviews that have been a driving force for me, I hope that you will continue to read my next fic, and hope that you will enjoy it and reply as well. Here's hope each and everyone who comes across this has a wonderful and safe day.

Heather and Sabra


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